Lauren
by Nightangel1282
Summary: After tragedy befalls Xanatos' sister, her daughter is left in his custody. However, this girl immediately grabs the attention of Puck, but is she even aware of her own secrets? Better summary inside. Please R
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! This is my first Gargoyles fanfiction. It is slightly AU (Puck was only banished from Avalon forever, he never had his powers reduced) David Xanatos has a sister that he hasn't seen in years, and he's about to receive bad news about her and her family, resulting in a new member to his household... and she might have a few secrets of her own...**

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David Xanatos and his wife, Fox, left Alexander in the hands of Puck for his daily lesson as they headed to the offices. The man let out a rare sigh and looked at his watch. "All right, my dear. What's on the schedule for this evening?"

Fox had taken Owen's writing pad and was looking it over. "Well, in an hour you have to get to that meeting with the London Representative. Mr. Taylor already rescheduled four times, this is his last night in New York, and he has a dinner with the mayor at nine tonight, so you can't put that one off anymore. Once you're through with that, you just have to call John at R&D and see what he has for you. He called this morning with a couple concerns about that new project."

The billionaire nodded. "Not as busy as I'd feared. All right then, let's just quickly look through the paperwork needed for the meeting then, shall we?"

He and his wife entered the office and David immediately started riffling through the papers Owen had left on his desk earlier. His assistant had already organized them for him, but Xanatos just wanted to make doubly sure that nothing had been overlooked. He had millions riding on this deal and he didn't want it to fall through.

They had only been in the office for twenty minutes when his cell phone rang. He picked it up and answered it, hoping it was someone he could just blow off so he could get back to business.

"Xanatos here."

"Hey, Xanatos."

His eyebrows elevated. It wasn't often he got a call from her. "Ah, Detective Maza. What do I owe the pleasure? I hope you can make this call brief. I have a meeting in forty minutes."

The detective sighed on the other end. "Do you know a woman named Elaine Johnson?"

He blinked in surprise. "That's my younger sister. I haven't seen her since she got married and had her daughter seventeen years ago. Why?"

David heard her breath hitch and then she let out another sigh. "Damn. I can't tell you how sorry I am to break this to you, Mr. Xanatos, but... Elaine and her husband, Craig, are dead."

"WHAT?!" David stood straight up from his desk with such force that Fox had to catch his chair to keep it from tipping over. "How and when did this happen?!"

"Elaine was killed by... her husband. Their daughter confirmed that. She saw it happen. And then their daughter had no choice but to kill HIM out of self defense. It happened yesterday."

David's head reeled for a moment. CRAIG had killed HIS baby sister?! The last time he'd seen the two of them, they'd seemed like a happy couple starting their new family. True, Craig wasn't Lauren's biological father, but he'd seen no evidence to suggest that he had cared... Then the detective's words caught up with him.

"YESTERDAY?! How come I'm only being informed of this now?" He asked, barely able to keep an even tone of voice. Fox looked at him in concern, knowing that her husband was very upset and she was now stuck listening to half of the conversation.

"Lauren didn't even KNOW she was related to you, believe it or not. Apparently her mother never told her what her maiden name was, and the only relative Craig has is a grandmother who's got Alzheimers and is on her last legs in a Colorado nursing home. We had to dig through her house and finally found her will that said in the event of their deaths, she was to be placed in your care. She was just as shocked as I was when we found out that YOU were her uncle."

"Elaine never told her about...?"

Elisa sighed again. "Listen, Xanatos. We talked to Lauren and Craig was a typical abuser. He isolated his wife from the rest of you and basically treated her AND her daughter like dirt. She was lucky she survived the attack."

David winced. "How is she?"

"Physically? A little beaten up, but she says she's had a lot worse. She'll need crutches for a week or so though. She has a cracked hip. The rest are just cuts and bruises. But emotionally..." He could almost see the detective shaking her head on the other end of the line. "I don't know what to tell you, Xanatos. She's been living with the abuse for her entire life and after what she just went through..."

"I understand." He thought for a moment and then bit back a curse. He couldn't cancel his meeting. The representative was probably on his way right now for one thing, and it had been put off for months. This was the last day Mr. Taylor was going to be in New York. "Unfortunately I can't cancel that meeting this late. I'll send Owen to pick her up and sign the necessary papers."

The woman sighed. "Okay. I'll let her and Matt know. He's trying to cheer the poor kid up right now. She hasn't slept in nearly two days and has been slamming back our coffee like crazy." There was a pause. "I'm really sorry about this, Xanatos."

"No apologies are necessary, Detective. Owen will be down there shortly. I trust I will see you later tonight?"

"You bet. Later, Xanatos."

David hung up the phone and let out a sigh. He should have known something was up when Elaine hadn't contacted him since the baby shower. But he had been so busy with his corporation he had shrugged it off as nothing. Now he regretted not trying to look her up.

On cue, Owen entered the office. "Mr. Xanatos, Alexander has been put to bed. I believe we have a meeting to get to..." He trailed off when he saw his employers posture and expression.

Xanatos gave him a wane smile. "I"ll have to tackle this meeting on my own, Owen. I need you to do something else for me." He then relayed to Owen and Fox (who had only half an idea of what was going on) what the detective had told him.

Owen's eyes rounded slightly, showing that he was deeply shocked by this. "I was not aware that you had a sister..."

"You've never met her and she just never came up in any of our conversations. The last time I saw her was at her baby shower when she asked me to be Lauren's Godfather."

Fox looked at him. "Was this the same Elaine that pushed you in the lake when you were seventeen?"

Another wane smile crossed his lips as he nodded. "That was my baby sister." Then he cleared his throat and stood up straight. "Owen, I need you to go down to the 23rd Precinct, take care of the necessary paperwork, and pick up Lauren. Tell her I am deeply sorry for not picking her up personally, but I had business that simply could not wait. But I will be out of the meeting in plenty of time to greet her when she arrives."

Owen nodded, his steely countenance back on. "Of course, Mr. Xanatos."

Xanatos looked at his wife. "Can you get a room prepared for when she arrives, my dear? Detective Maza said she hasn't slept in two days and I'm sure she's going to need her rest."

Fox nodded. "You got it." Then she blinked. "What about... the gargoyles?"

That made him pause for a moment as he glanced at his watch. Sunset was only an hour away. "Owen should still be preoccupied at the precinct at the time. Can you go up there and tell them what's going on? Ask them to stay up there for tonight, just in case?"

Fox almost smiled, imagining the looks on Lexington's and Hudson's faces when they found out they would have to go a night without their computer and TV "Consider it done. Now, you should get to the meeting."

David nodded, straightening himself once more. He had business to take care of first. He could grieve for the loss of his sister later.

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Owen was greeted by Elisa Maza the moment he walked into the precinct doors.

"Right this way, Owen," she said, leading him to a desk filled with papers. She handed him a few forms and showed him where to sign.

Once he was finished signing the papers, he stood up straight once more. "Where is she, Detective?"

"She's with Matt. He's trying to entertain her by telling her about UFOs, Loch Ness and secret societies," she said with a small smile. "And Morgan's taken it upon himself to keep her coffee cup full and, no matter how many times she says 'no', he keeps offering her donuts. She's only eaten once that I've seen so far."

Owen kept his face impassive, though he winced inwardly. If she'd been here for over a day and she'd only eaten ONCE... "How is she?" he asked as she slowly started leading him to the back rooms of the precinct, away from all the hustle that was typical in a New York police station.

Maza sighed. "Well, she LOOKS pretty bad, but the doctor who came in said her injuries aren't as bad as they look. But mentally... if I were Xanatos, I'd think of hiring a psychiatrist. That girl hasn't cracked a smile since she came in here."

Owen nodded, understanding that her state of mind was more than likely fragile after the life she'd lead. If the abuse had been going on for her entire life as Detective Maza had indicated to Mr. Xanatos, then she would need serious support. Elisa opened the door to one of the back rooms which had a couch, a coffee machine, and a small fridge.

Bluestone sat one one end of the couch and a young woman with hair that was just a shade short of being platinum blond sat on the other end. The hair went half down her back. They caught the end of his narrative to her.

"And did you know that the statues on Easter Island were actually modeled after space aliens?" Then he blinked and stood up, seeing his partner and Mr. Burnett enter the room.

The girl looked up as well, and although Owen managed to keep his face neutral, inwardly Puck was both shocked and seething in rage.

Aside from a large welt on her right jaw, her left eye was swollen shut and was currently an alarming shade of purple. She had a bandage on her forehead just below the hairline that didn't fully conceal the stitches beneath it. But her throat... man sized hand prints were on her throat that had darkened to Goliath's shade. A set of crutches was leaning on the arm of the couch and Owen had a feeling more injuries were concealed beneath the sweatshirt and sweatpants she was wearing.

But then inwardly Puck stiffened as he sensed it. Owen was barely able to keep his features calm as the two of them examined each other. The fay thought for a wild moment that he must be imagining it, but there was no denying what he felt.

Magic, subtle but there, was emanating from this girl. Puck had a dozen questions race through his mind, not the least of which... was the girl aware of it as well?

Her one good eye, a sea of dark blue, looked at him unwaveringly as she took him in. She was trying to keep her expression neutral, but he could tell she was absolutely miserable and exhausted. Taking in the swollen eye once more, Owen made a mental note to get an ice pack for her first thing when they returned to the castle. He also decided to put his consideration of her potential magical abilities aside for the time being.

Only a couple of seconds had passed since he and Detective Maza had entered the room. Elisa smiled at her gently. "Lauren, this is Owen Burnett, your Uncle David's personal assistant. He's here to take you to your new home."

Owen cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Mr. Xanatos was deeply upset that he could not come here personally, but he received word of your unfortunate circumstances only minutes before an important meeting with a business associate from London. However, the meeting will be long over by the time we return to the Aerie Building."

The girl gave a small shrug and gave a barely noticeable wince at the movement. "I understand," she said, her voice quiet and sounding a little strained. Then, with Matt's help, she got back to her feet and positioned the crutches under her arms, looking as if she'd done this a hundred times before. Owen wondered darkly for a moment if she'd needed crutches in the past due to the abuse.

Elisa looked at Owen. "Tell Xanatos I'll be down later tonight."

Owen inclined his head. "Very well, Detective. Thank you both for taking care of Miss Johnson," he said, and saw the girl cringe out of the corner of his eyes. He stayed at her side and gently led her out to the limo. He decided it would be easiest on her if she rode up front with him rather than in the back all by herself. He opened the passenger side door and helped her inside before getting in on his own side.

The girl was looking around herself, her good eye a little wide as she took in all the little gadgets. Owen looked over at her.

"Are you comfortable, Miss Johnson?"

She cringed more noticeably this time. "I'm fine, but... could you please not call me that?" she asked quietly, her voice cracking slightly. She coughed a little and winced, holding her badly bruised throat. "I don't want to even remember that man existed, much less continue using his family name."

Owen blinked and then cringed inwardly. In a rare show of emotion, he allowed his face to turn slightly sympathetic. "My sincerest apologies. Is Miss Lauren acceptable?"

He could almost swear that the corners of her mouth lifted a fraction of an inch in amusement. "Miss Lauren is fine, Mr. Burnett."

Owen sighed in relief inwardly, seeing the barely detectable smile that had briefly crossed her lips. Then, after ensuring himself and his passenger were buckled in their seats, he started for the Aerie Building.

Lauren never said a word the entire ride. Respecting her wish for silence, Owen never attempted to engage her in a conversation. Once they parked in the underground garage of the building, the majordomo exited the car and came around to the passenger side to help her out. She wordlessly accepted his arm to help her stand up and then he handed her the crutches. He led her to the elevator and called for it.

"I'm afraid it might take a few minutes before the elevator arrives. There are 128 floors to this building and as you might imagine, it takes a while for the elevators to make their rounds."

She simply shrugged and then winced.

"Are you all right?" he asked in concern.

"I've had worse," was all she said in return.

After standing for only a moment, the elevator dinged and they went inside. Owen pressed floor number 126 and they started up. Lauren took advantage of the situation and rested against the wall as the elevator moved for them. He looked over at her and concluded she was exhausted.

When they finally reached their destination, Owen led her down a hall. She couldn't help but look around herself in some awe once again, seeing the interiors of a castle. Tapestries, suits of armor and ancient relics lined the walls everywhere she looked.

They finally stopped outside a large set of double doors. Owen knocked twice before entering. It was a large room with a T.V., and large computer monitor mounted inside the wall, along with a board filled with mechanical switches and dials. At the end of the room was a large metallic desk, a man seated behind it, a beautiful woman standing at his side. The moment they entered the room, the man stood up and both he and his wife came forward.

Lauren recognized the both of them, of course. She had been a fan of The Pack when she was younger and Fox had definitely been her favorite. And then she had seen David Xanatos more than enough times on the news to recognize his face at a glance. It still blew her mind to know that she was related to the both of them now.

Fox came up to her, eyes widening as she took in the visible injuries. David's face at first showed the same expression and then flattened as he frowned deeply. Then he cleared his throat.

"Owen, get an ice pack for Lauren, please."

The man nodded immediately. "Yes, Mr. Xanatos." He turned and left the room without another word.

Fox's face scrunched up in concern as she carefully examined the injuries. She took in a sharp breath when she saw her neck.

David looked at her and sighed. "Lauren... I haven't seen you since you were a week old. I had wondered why Elaine never got into contact with me again, but I was too busy with my corporation and..." He shook his head. "I'm... sorry."

Lauren suppressed a sigh. She had been a little angry upon learning that she had a rich and powerful uncle and he'd never even stepped in to help, but then... "It wasn't your fault that this happened, Mr. Xanatos," she said, her voice sounding more than just a little strained. She stopped and considered. "Or... I guess I should call you Uncle David now. It's weird... A few hours ago I had no idea I was related to you."

He smiled at her. "Whatever you feel comfortable with is fine with me. I know this must be pretty awkward for you." Then he motioned toward a couch that was set up against one of the walls. "Let's sit down, shall we? You look tired."

That was an understatement. She was pale, her hair was mussed, and there was a dark circle under her good eye. David and Fox both helped her to sit down and she let out a sigh of relief.

Owen entered the room once more, handing Lauren the ice pack. She took it wordlessly and held it against her eye, giving a noticeable wince as she did so.

David looked at his wife. "Is her room prepared?"

She nodded. "Yes." Then she looked at the new member of their household. "Do you have any clothes with you?"

She shook her head. "The clothes I'm wearing now aren't even mine. One of the cops gave them to me because my clothes were... torn and dirty."

Deciding he didn't want to know, Xanatos kept his mouth shut.

Fox smiled at her gently. "Well, I can't have that. I'll loan you a nightgown tonight and some clothes to wear into town tomorrow. I'm bringing you shopping, hon. How'd you like to meet my good friends Ralph Lauren and Gucci?"

Xanatos gave a mock sigh. "Oh God. There goes my credit rating."

The bare trace of a smile pulled at her lips again. "Sure."

"Okay, let's get you a nightgown and I'll bring you to your room." She looked at her injuries more critically this time. "And I'm going to help you change while I'm at it."

That made the girl fidget a little. She'd managed to convince Elisa that she could change on her own, but she had a feeling Fox wouldn't hear it.

Xanatos looked at his assistant. "Go with them, Owen."

Nodding, Owen helped Lauren to her feet and followed Fox out of the room.

Xanatos let out an immense sigh when he was alone and then left the room himself, heading for the top of the castle.

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After quickly swinging by her room, Fox led Owen and Lauren to the room she had selected for the new addition to their family. She instructed Owen to wait outside as both girls went in.

The room wasn't anything special yet, but then again they hadn't really had the time to prepare it properly. There was a large bed up against the wall and a personal bathroom so she wouldn't have to wander out in the hall. Beside the bed was a nightstand and a phone.

Lauren looked decidedly uncomfortable. "You know, I really can change on my own..."

Fox shook her head, a knowing smile on her face. "I know what someone looks like when they're hiding the fact that they're in pain, and YOU are definitely in pain. I'm not going to have you making yourself more uncomfortable by forcing you to bend over backwards just to get changed. Don't even bother arguing."

Sighing, the girl set the ice pack Owen had set her down beside the phone and nodded, too tired to argue at this point. All she wanted to do was curl up in a little ball and go to sleep.

Fox instructed her to lift her arms as she took hold of the bottom of her sweatshirt. Lauren sighed and did as she was told, bracing herself for what she knew was coming.

Once the shirt was over her head, Fox let out a cry of alarm. Seeing that Lauren was wearing a sports bra instead of something less modest, she didn't hesitate for a second.

"OWEN!!!"

Lauren cringed, sitting on the edge of the bed. The servant opened the door without hesitation and rushed in at the horrified tone in his employer's voice. "Mrs. Xanatos?" Then he stopped in his tracks, seeing what had caused Fox's outburst.

Lauren's ribs and stomach looked like a Canadian sunset, an almost nauseating combination of dark blue's, greens, and purples. A long scratch went down her right side, a long red line that contrasted alarmingly with the rest of the surface injuries. Her arms weren't much better off. They too were covered in contusions and scrapes, from her shoulders down. Many of the bruises were unmistakable hand prints.

The girl erupted into tears, burying her face into her hands immediately.

Fox quickly seated herself beside Lauren and carefully wrapped her arms around her. She glanced over at Owen and was only mildly surprised to see his shocked expression. "Get Doctor Sato in here," she said quietly.

Shaking himself out of his shock, he nodded immediately and exited the room. He took out his cell phone and started to dial as he made his way up to the castle.

Even as he kept his voice calm, speaking to the doctor on the phone, inwardly he was thoroughly enraged. The evidence of what had happened to the girl was all too obvious.

Craig had thrown her around like a rag doll. That was the only way he could account for the horrendous injuries he'd seen on her. Puck's vengeful side was out in full force. He wished fervently that Mr. Johnson was still alive so he could teach him a thing or two about how to treat a lady.

He finished his conversation with Dr. Sato in only a few moments and emerged at the top of the castle where Mr. Xanatos was conversing with the Gargoyles.

"...so if you could just stay up here until we introduce you to her, it would be appreciated. It should only be for one or two nights..." Xanatos blinked and turned, seeing Owen. "Something wrong, Owen?"

Xanatos had picked up on his assistant's agitation immediately. It wasn't something most people would notice, but there was a slight narrowing of the eyes and furrowing of the brows. His frown was just a millimeter or two deeper than normal.

He cleared his throat. "I'm afraid so, Mr. Xanatos. It would appear that Miss Lauren's injuries are more serious than she led us to believe. I have just called Dr. Sato and he will be here within the next fifteen minutes."

Xanatos stiffened immediately and the gargoyles exchanged a few concerned looks. "How bad is she?"

"I am uncertain. However, I think it is safe to say we can add at least a few broken ribs to her list of injuries. Her body appeared to be covered with scrapes and contusions It is a wonder she was able to hide her pain as well as she did. She started... crying before I left the room. Fox is still with her."

Xanatos nodded and gave the gargoyles an apologetic look. "Excuse me." He quickly rushed back into the castle, Owen close behind him.

He rushed into Lauren's room and saw Fox holding her gently in her arms, rocking her trembling form. From this angle, Owen could see that her back was just as bad as her front and he had to stomp down another surge of rage.

The CEO was at Lauren's other side in an instant while Owen simply stood off to the side, feeling strangely awkward and a little helpless.

To their credit, the Xanatos' never asked why she had hidden the extent of her injuries from them. The girl was obviously accustomed to keeping her injuries hidden from view and more than likely hadn't wanted to burden her new guardians. Owen remembered her telling him that she'd had worse and sincerely hoped she had been lying.

His feelings of helplessness vanished when his cell phone rang. He quickly answered it.

"Yes?" A pause. "Of course." He hung up the phone and looked at Mr. Xanatos. "Detective's Maza and Bluestone have just arrived. I will go meet them."

Xanatos gave him a nod and the majordomo left the room, eliciting a very rare sigh of relief. He stood in front of the elevator and wasn't disappointed when they opened a moment later, revealing the new arrivals.

"Hey there, Owen," Matt said. "How's Lauren doing?"

"It seems Miss Lauren was downplaying the extent of her injuries. Dr. Sato should be here in a few minutes to examine her personally. Fox discovered the additional injuries as she was helping her change."

Elisa's eyes widened. "What?! Damn! So that's why she insisted she didn't need my help. I knew I should have had the doctor give her a full check up! The only thing she complained about was her hip!"

Bluestone looked at Owen in concern. "How bad is she, then?"

"The entire top half of her body seems to be suffering from extensive injuries. Contusions and scrapes, mostly. I suspect she has a few broken ribs, but until the doctor has examined her, I can offer no further information. Mr and Mrs. Xanatos are with her right now in her room. Miss Lauren was... very upset when we discovered her injuries."

Owen's phone rang again. He answered it and told the man downstairs to send Dr. Sato on up.

"Well, we're going to go visit with the guys," Elisa said with a sigh. "I'll talk to Xanatos later when this is all worked out."

Owen nodded respectfully and the two detectives made their way down the hall. He continued to wait outside the elevator for the other new arrival. A few short minutes massed before they opened and Dr. Sato stepped out, carrying his medical kit.

Owen wasted no time with greetings. "If you would follow me?" He started off down the hall without another word, confident that the doctor was right behind him. When they got to the room, Owen knocked once before opening the door. Lauren had stopped crying and was just letting Xanatos and Fox hold her. Her uncle was talking to her quietly.

Owen cleared his throat. "Dr. Sato is here." He stepped aside to let the doctor into the room.

Xanatos stood up to give the doctor a place to sit as he quickly started evaluating her wounds. The doctor cleared his throat and looked at the other three in the room. "It might be best if you left the room. I'm sure this is awkward enough for her as it is."

"David and Owen can go, but I'm staying with her," Fox said in a voice that dared him to object.

Dr. Sato nodded wordlessly. It would probably make Lauren feel a little more comfortable if there was another woman present in the room during the examination.

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Xanatos and Owen went into the CEOs office. In a rare show of fatigue, Xanatos sat down heavily in his chair with a sigh. He had thought his night was going to be smooth sailing when he had only had two things on his schedule. Now it seemed the night would never end and it had barely begun.

"You know... it takes a lot to get me angry, Owen. But I tell you... If that bastard was still alive, I'd kill him myself for what he did to Lauren and Elaine..."

Owen nodded. "I understand your position completely, sir. Even I am admittedly... unnerved at this evenings events." He cleared his throat. "Detective Maza said she would like to speak with you later in the evening. She is visiting with the gargoyles right now along with Detective Bluestone."

Xanatos nodded silently. Then after a moment he cleared his throat and started riffling through his papers. "Well, I suppose I had best call John at R&D and see what he wanted to talk to me about. The sooner I get that over with, the sooner I'm free to worry about my personal dilemma's. The first thing I'm going to do when my business is taken care of is make the funeral arrangements for Elaine and... that bastard."

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**Okay, there was the first chapter! I'll try to update as soon as I can! Please Read and Review! It only takes a moment of your time :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, here's Chapter Two of Lauren. I believe I forgot to put a disclaimer in the first chapter, so I'll just put it here :)**

**I do not own Gargoyles. Only Lauren belongs to me.**

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The doctor finished his examination of Lauren and let out a small sigh. "Well, nothing overly serious. You have four broken ribs and many of your muscles have been bruised. I'll wrap your ribs and give you some pain killers. Now, it's all right if you move around a bit. Go ahead with those shopping plans tomorrow, but try not to strain yourself, all right?"

Lauren just nodded silently. She couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze. Both he and Fox helped her get dressed in the satin nightgown after her ribs were wrapped. Fox told her in no uncertain terms that she was going to help her get dressed the next morning as well.

Fox looked up at Doctor Sato. "Is there anything else?"

The doctor shook his head. "Not right now, but feel free to give me a call if you have any further concerns." He reached into his medical kit and handed her a packet of pills. "Take only ONE of these every eight hours. Any more than that and you might experience some rather unpleasant sensations. As it is, one will make you feel rather... well, high, for lack of a better term, but it will also relieve you of your pain. There are no additives in them, they are perfectly safe. I wouldn't hand them over if they weren't," he said, anticipating Fox's possible concerns before he looked at his watch. "Is there anything else I can do for you tonight?"

Fox shook her head. "I don't think so. Have a good night, Doctor Sato."

He nodded. "Goodnight." He turned and left the room.

The former leader of The Pack smiled at her niece gently. "Well, I think you've had more than enough excitement for one day. What do you say to swallowing one of those pills and going to sleep? You sure look like you could use some."

The girl gave her bare ghost of a smile and nodded wordlessly.

"And tomorrow, you can meet your cousin... although he's quite a lot younger than you are..."

That made Lauren blink and in a hazy corner of her mind she remembered hearing something on the news about the Xanatos' having a baby boy. That must've been almost two years ago now.

_I have a cousin_, she thought and a smile ALMOST made it to her face. Then she took one of the pills out of the packet the doctor had given her and swallowed it whole, chasing it back with a glass of water. The pill was much smaller than normal pills. Maybe only four millimeters wide. She never even felt it go down and she wondered just how effective it would be.

The pill started taking effect in only ten minutes when Fox broke the mounting silence. "Are you feeling better yet?"

She nodded. "Yeah... I can't feel anything in my eye right now and my head's starting to feel... swimmy."

Fox grinned. "I got prescribed those after a few accidents back when I was leader of The Pack. I know just what you're experiencing, believe me."

Lauren's expression turned a little curious. "Are you still in contact with any of them?"

Fox smiled. "Only with Dingo on a regular basis. The others... well, that's a story for another time. I think you should get to sleep now." She stood up from the edge of the bed and gently helped Lauren lay down. "Okay, Owen might come in here once or twice tonight, just to pick up your laundry and to make sure you're comfortable. Though knowing the pills you're taking, you probably won't notice a thing."

Lauren saw her vision wavering slightly and had a feeling Fox was right. Her eye started to close as if it had a mind of its own.

Fox blinked when she saw Lauren's good eye slide shut and couldn't help but shake her head. The poor thing was out like a light only seconds after laying down. She headed for the door, shut off the light, and exited the room.

______________________

Xanatos and Owen met up with Fox in the hallway on their way to the top of the castle. Once they were up there, they saw Elisa and Matt still talking with the gargoyles.

Brooklyn noticed their arrival and spoke up immediately. "How is she?"

Fox sighed. "Well, she's got a few broken ribs and a LOT of bruised muscles in addition to what we knew about before. Dr. Sato gave her a powerful little painkiller that I've been on before and I guarantee you, it'll keep her out for the night."

Broadway perked up a little hearing this. "Does that mean I can go in and make breakfast for us?"

Fox grinned a little and nodded. "Just keep out of her room. It's between the fourth century tapestry and that suit of armor with the dragon shield on the 126th floor." The trio needed no further encouragement as they made their way inside.

Xanatos looked at Elisa. "I want to know what happened, Detective."

Elisa looked almost as tired as Lauren did before she'd gone to sleep. She sighed wearily. "We got a phone called at 6:30 yesterday evening. It was a concerned neighbor calling about a possible case of domestic violence. They heard screaming, shouting and lots of crashes and bangs coming from the house next door. It took us about ten minutes to get there and by then everything was silent. We knocked and no one answered, so we busted our way into the residence. When we were inside, all we saw was one huge mess. Bookshelves were busted, the TV was screen-down on the floor, tables and chairs were either overturned or just plain destroyed..." She shook her head. "The first body we saw was Mr. Johnson's. He was lying on the floor in front an old brick fireplace, the back of his head caved in. Then we saw Mrs. Johnson on the floor in the kitchen. We found out when the medical examiner came in that she had a broken neck, though she had definitely been severely beaten before that happened..."

Matt cut in at this point. "I was the one who found Lauren. I was just about to head upstairs to see if there was anything else, when I spotted her curled up in a dark corner of the living room. She had wedged herself between a large potted plant and the wall. We immediately called in a doctor when we saw the gash on her forehead, not to mention the condition of her eye. It took me and Elisa about half an hour to coax her out of the corner. The poor kid was in complete shock."

Elisa sighed. "When we finally got her talking, she told us that she'd heard the argument erupt downstairs and got into the kitchen just in time to see Craig slam her mother's neck against the edge of the counter, and watched her fall dead to the floor. Then he came after her. She said that she blacked out shortly after he pinned her to the wall and started strangling her, but when she came out of it again, he was lying dead in front of the fireplace. She said even she doesn't know how she did it, but she managed to fend him off and wound up killing him in the process."

Angela looked at her. "She doesn't remember how she did it?"

Matt shook his head. "Nope. It's pretty common for people to mentally block out traumatizing events, and I'd say Lauren's experience definitely qualifies. I talked with her the most while Elisa and Morgan went to hunt down her mother's will and I'll tell you, that girl is anything but violent."

Elisa nodded. "But near as we can tell, she must have somehow overpowered him and pushed him into the fireplace. I don't know how a little thing like her had the strength to do that, but she pulled it off somehow. That's the only thing we can come up with that's consistent with the bodily injury Mr. Johnson had."

"Adrenaline," Matt said simply. "You'd be surprised what it can do when you're in a desperate situation. If it hadn't kicked in when it had, she's be dead now instead of him."

_Or perhaps it was something else,_ Puck thought, remembering the magic he'd felt emanating from the girl. Of course, he felt it best he not bring that subject up at this point in time.

Goliath gave a half sigh, half growl. "If we could have been there..."

Matt shook his head. "Hey, listen, big guy. It happened during the day, for one thing, and for another, even when you guys go on patrol, you can't be everywhere at once. Things like this are going to happen. Domestic violence is one of the most common crimes in the city."

Xanatos said nothing, but his expression was flat having heard what Elisa and Matt had to say. There was no doubt about it. He was going to start looking for a certified psychiatrist first thing in the morning.

Just then, Lexington stuck his head out the door. "Hey, guys? I think that girl's having a bad dream or something. We hear her crying out in her sleep!"

Xanatos didn't say a word as he rushed back into the castle, Fox and Owen hard on his heels.

When they reached Lauren's room, they saw the trio standing outside her door and the faint cries coming from within the room. Once they saw their human hosts approaching, the gargoyles retreated, just in case the girl should wake up and catch sight of them herself.

The three of them raced into the room and saw Lauren on the bed, her expression indicating she was witnessing her own private vision of hell.

"Stop it! Stop hurting her!! Leave her alone!!"

David was at her side immediately and shaking her gently. "Lauren! Wake up!"

Fox shook her head. "Don't bother. I've been on those pills before. A bomb could go off in this room and she wouldn't even twitch."

"Damn!"

The two of them were immediately distracted when Owen's form flashed brightly and Puck stood in his place. His expression was a strange cross between concerned and enraged. He held his hand out toward the fretfully sleeping girl.

"_From time of night till time of day,_

_May all night horrors be kept at bay!"_

Lauren's body flared a light green for a moment and she settled down almost immediately.

Xanatos looked at the Fay and gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you, Puck."

He smiled cheerily and bowed down low. "The Puck is here to please," he said as another bright flash of light transformed him into Owen Burnett once more.

The three of them looked down one the now peacefully sleeping girl. "So... now what?" Fox asked.

Xanatos sighed. "Well, I don't know about you, but I for one am tired. I could definitely use a few hours of sleep." He looked at his watch and grimaced. "After I call Dad."

Fox winced, knowing that was a conversation her husband wasn't looking forward to.

________________________

Lauren was awakened by the sound of someone knocking on her door. In her hazy, half awakened state, she almost called out to tell her mother that she was up, when a different voice called from the other side of the door.

"Miss Lauren?"

Then images of what had happened the past few days flashed through her mind and she involuntarily shuddered. Then she winced as her body objected to the involuntary movement.

"Miss Lauren? Are you all right?" Owen's voice came again, this time showing a tinge of concern.

She cleared her throat and winced at the shooting pain. She forced herself to speak, though it seemed even more strained than the day before. "Yeah, you can come in, Owen," she called out, gingerly touching her throat and wincing.

The majordomo opened the door and proceeded to wheel a card laden with a covered dish into the room. The mouthwatering aroma of pancakes and toast hit her. Then she blinked.

"Breakfast in bed?" she asked, a little shocked, before she erupted into a small series of coughs. She immediately winced in pain and held her throat.

The servant was at her side immediately. "Are you all right, Miss Lauren?"

She nodded and tried to clear her throat. The fact that her throat was dry wasn't helping her. "I think so. My throat must have swollen a bit in the middle of the night. I think I'll be okay if I can just get some water," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She started to sit up. Owen immediately moved to help her.

An audible crack was heard with her movement and she winced again.

Owen started reaching for his cell phone. "Perhaps I should call Dr. Sato..."

She shook her head and caught hold of his wrist. "It's just stiffness. It'll go away when I start moving around," she said in her whispery voice. This reminded her of the time she'd had laryngitis... only this time it was accompanied with pain.

He hesitated. "Are you certain?"

She nodded. "I've gone through it before many times. Believe me, it'll pass."

He hesitated a moment longer before nodding and pulling the tray over to the bed, and handing her a glass of water. She accepted it and grabbed the packet of painkillers the doctor had given her the night before and she sighed. She didn't want to go through the day feeling high, but it would be better than putting up with this pain when she didn't really have to. It was harder to act fine than people thought. She swallowed a mouthful of water to get moisture in her throat before she popped in the pill and chased it down.

Owen lifted the tray to reveal her breakfast and, feeling a little awkward, she slowly started to eat. Owen left her to her meal as he started to dust off shelves and such around her room.

She was absolutely famished, but despite her hunger she only managed to eat half of the toast and two of the five pancakes. She managed to polish off both the orange juice and the water, though.

She was now feeling only, as the doctor had said, a little high from her new medications. As long as it didn't get much worse than this, she figured she could live with it. For the most part she just felt a little spaced out.

Owen returned to her, setting the rag in a separate attachment on the tray. He looked at her still mostly full plate. "Are you finished, Miss Lauren?"

She nodded a little guiltily. "It tastes great, but... I just don't have much of an appetite..."

He inclined his head respectfully. "It is perfectly understandable. No apologies are necessary." He pulled the tray off to the side when the door opened once more.

"Knock, knock!" Fox said with a smile on her face. She entered the room, carrying an armful of clothes. "How're you feeling this morning, hon?"  
Lauren managed a small smile in return. "Stiff, but other than that, not too bad."

Fox grinned. "I've had mornings like that myself." She looked at Owen. "Alex is calling for his Uncle Owen right now. You see to him and I'll help her get cleaned up and dressed."

He bowed courteously. "Very well, Mrs. Xanatos. Miss Lauren." He pushed the tray out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Fox grinned as she came forward and helped the younger woman to her feet, wincing a little herself when she heard the cracks coming from the girls back and joints. It would stop when her body loosened up a little. She handed Lauren her crutches and led her into the bathroom.

Once in there, Lauren felt even more feeble as Fox proceeded to clean her off with a moist cloth. Fox simply ignored her objections as she then brushed out the girl's hair and started to unfold the clothes.

"I figured you'd be most comfortable in something loose until your injuries are healed," she said with a smile. Lauren winced as the clothes were revealed to be a dress that went down to her ankles. She hated dresses, but supposed she could live with this one for the day. It was fairly plain, a light brown, and the sash that tied around the middle was the only accessory.

Once Fox was sure Lauren's hair was in order and her dress was presentable enough, she smiled at her. "Well, let's get to the dining hall. David is down there right now and Owen will be bringing Alex along soon enough."

She nodded and allowed the former celebrity to lead her from the room. Fox went at a subdued pace so Lauren could keep up easily with her crutches.

They took the elevator down one floor and saw David Xanatos sitting at the table, reading the morning paper, a deep frown on his face.

Fox looked at him in concern as she helped Lauren sit down. "What's wrong, hon? Did you lose money in the stock market?"

He snorted. "That wouldn't be as bad as this. I have no idea how word got out. Must've been a reporter snooping around the 23rd Precinct." He tossed the paper on the table. The headline ready in blazing letters, "SISTER OF DAVID XANATOS SLAIN IN DOMESTIC DESPUTE, DAUGHTER LEFT IN HIS CARE."

Fox moaned while Lauren went white.

David sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "Some of the details are a little skewed, but they have the gist of the story, including the fact that Lauren managed to somehow overpower Craig. And worse, now every reporter, including our favorite Miss St. John, knows that Lauren is staying here with US now," he said, a scowl on his face.

Lauren started. "St. John?! As in Nichole St. John? Reporter for the new 'Anomalous New York' segment on WVRN?"

Xanatos' scowl deepened and he nodded. "Yes. She's taken a liking to trying to bypass security to get up here. Whenever we're out in public, she tries to corner us for an interview. She's going to be adding you to her list of people to harass now."

That made Lauren fidget. The thought of being cornered by a group of reporters, especially one as tenacious as Nichole St. John made her feel very uncomfortable.

Xanatos forced a smile to his face. "On the bright side, Lauren... You're going to meet your grandfather this evening."

She blinked. "My...?"

Fox smiled. "Oh, so Petros is coming down today?"

He nodded. "Yup. Pop insisted he come down the moment he heard what happened. Also, Doctor Gordon is coming in. He's a psychiatrist that was highly recommended. He'll meet up with you at four this afternoon."

Lauren fidgeted uncomfortably again, hearing this. She didn't like the idea of seeing a shrink.

Owen saved her from her momentary discomfort when he entered the room, a toddler with a shock of red hair balanced expertly on his hip. The little boy immediately held his arms out towards David.

"Daddy! Daddy!!"

The CEO smiled broadly and got to his feet as Owen set the boy down gently. He immediately ran across the room and squealed in delight as Xanatos scooped him up. "Hey there, Alex! There's someone new I want you to meet, son." He smiled as he came up to Lauren, who was currently feeling a little out of place. "This is your cousin, Lauren. Lauren, this is Alexander, my son."

Alex frowned a moment. "Cu... cu..." Then he smiled brightly. "Auntie Lauwen! Auntie Lauwen!" He held his arms out to her, furling and unfurling his little fingers.

Fox laughed. "Everyone's either Auntie or Uncle if they're not Mommy or Daddy. He'll learn."

Xanatos looked at Lauren. "Do you feel up to holding him?

She blinked and hesitated. Then that bare trace of a smile came to her lips as she nodded and held out her arms to accept him.

Alex sat surprisingly still on her lap as he looked at her face with wide blue eyes. Then one of his hands came up and gently ran over her swollen eye and down to the welt on her jaw. "Auntie Lauwen huwt."

Xanatos smiled a little sadly. "Yes, Alex. A bad man hurt Auntie Lauren, but no one is going to hurt her anymore."

Alex's expression turned almost alarmingly stern as he nodded in agreement with his father. "No huwt anymowe!" Then he wrapped his arms around her neck and gave her a cuddle. "I love you, Auntie Lauwen!"

Lauren's expression turned downright shocked at this proclamation, but the shock melted away in seconds as a brilliant smile spread across her face and she held the toddler back gently. She was completely oblivious to any pain she might be feeling due to the contact.

All three adults were both surprised and greatly relieved to see that smile. It was the first legitimate smile she had shown them since she had arrived.

Puck beamed happily from within his human guise. _Ah, the sweet innocence of a child can help to mend any wounds,_ he thought.

Xanatos grinned. "Well, breakfast is done, we're all prepared... what do you say we go shopping for Lauren's new wardrobe?"

Nodding, Fox came forward and gently relieved Lauren of Alex. "Yeah, we should get going if we're going to be back in time for Doctor Gordon."

__________________________

They managed to avoid the reporters waiting outside the front doors by using the underground parking lot to leave. However, Xanatos was more than a little irked when he saw the WVRN news station van following only a few vehicles behind them. When they stopped in front of one of Fox's favorite clothing stores, he quickly ushered them all in as the van pulled to a stop in front of the building and the infamous reporter climbed out.

"Mr. Xanatos! If I could just as you a few questions..." she started, her cameraman trailing along behind her.

"Not today, Miss St. John," he said absently and quickly vanished inside the building.

Miss St. John had already been kicked out of the store by management for causing a scene when the Gargoyles had first gone public, so she knew better than to follow them inside. She was patient enough, however, and parked herself right outside the doors, waiting for them to come out again.

Xanatos gave an uncharacteristic growl once they were inside the story, away from the reporter. "Damn vultures," he muttered under his breath. Then he sighed when he saw through the windows that she'd decided to wait for them to exit the store.

Fox gave her niece a smile. "Forget her. Let's just get some shopping done. What kind of things do you like?"

Lauren gave her a bit of a sheepish look. "I'm kind of a... t-shirt and jeans kinda girl. Things that don't make me stand out, you know? I'm really not into stuff like dresses or... designer clothes."

Fox got a thoughtful look on her face. "Well, you're going to have to have at least a couple dresses for the odd formal that David hosts..."

Lauren paled a bit and tried not to moan. If there was one thing she was totally clueless about, it was formality. Her family never did have much money, and what little they DID have was usually pissed away by Craig.

"...but to make you comfortable, we'll get you designer clothes that are stylish, but not over the top. How's that?"  
The girl simply shrugged.

Fox gave her a wide grin. "Great! Come on, this way!" She started dragging her to one corner of the store as the girl gave an almost desperate look to both her uncle and Owen.

Xanatos couldn't help but grin. "I do believe my wife is scaring her a bit, wouldn't you say, Owen?"

The majordomo raised an eyebrow. "It would appear that Miss Lauren is a bit of a wallflower, although in her case it is certainly understandable."

Xanatos gave his assistant a curious look. "I've been wondering... why do you call her 'Miss Lauren'?"

"She was uncomfortable when I called her Miss Johnson when I first met her and requested that I stop. Apparently she has no desire to be associated with Craig Johnson."

He frowned a little. "I see." Then he straightened himself. "Well then. Why don't we go see what the ladies are up to?"

_________________

Lauren looked at the outfit Fox was trying to hand her as if it were poison. "There is no way I'm wearing that," she said, her voice broking no room for argument.

Fox ignored her tone. "Why not? It's beautiful!"

Lauren made a face. "It's too short! And it's too bright!"

"It goes down to your knees! And this shade of red is in this year!"

"If you wanna get me in a dress, it has to be as long as the one I'm wearing now. And I really prefer colors that don't blind you. I like things like brown, black, grey, dark blue and MAYBE some shades of green."

Although Lauren was getting some looks from the other customers in the store, as well as some of the customer service reps due to her visible injuries, she didn't seem to notice or care. She was too involved trying to talk her own version of fashion sense into Fox.

"Okay..." Fox put it back on the rack and browsed for a moment. Then she snatched up another dress and handed it over. "Here! You can't complain about this one," she said with a triumphant smile.

Lauren looked at the dress wide eyed. It was a form fitting dark blue gown that went down to the floor. It had a slit going up both sides going up to the upper thighs and it was sleeveless, doing up with a clasp at the back of the neck. The front had an oval-shaped section cut out of it, no doubt to show off cleavage.

"Did I forget to mention NONE revealing?"

Fox smiled at her gently and took hold of her shoulders. "Sweetie, you're not going to be wearing it in the next few days! Those bruises and marks will be gone by the time David throws his next party. You've got a beautiful body, I've seen it! You should share it with the world!"

Lauren sighed wearily and looked non-too excited at the thought of wearing the dress. "I'll try it on," she muttered, sounding as if she would rather be getting a root canal done than be shopping with Fox. The both of them followed a customer service representative to one of the change rooms and went inside.

Several minutes later they reemerged, Lauren looking a little downhearted while Fox had a happy smile on her face. "It fits!" the former Pack leader declared. She handed the dress to Owen so they could pay for it later.

Over the next two hours, Fox dragged Lauren from one side of the store to the other and the girl was looking like she was enjoying the day less and less with each passing moment. She wasn't used to shopping like this. Before, she'd just go into a store, grab something that was the right color and looked like it might fit, try it on, and leave. Fox, however, took every single detail into account and it was starting to drive her a little nuts. She swore to herself that after this day, she was NOT going to go clothes shopping for the next six months.

When they were finally finished and Fox had paid, they stepped out of the store and immediately came face to face with Nichole St. John.

"Lauren Johnson! I'm Nichole St. John with WVRN! How did you survive that horrible attack? Is it true that you actually witnessed your father murder your mother?"

Those two questions seemed to strike Lauren like a physical blow and she almost lost her balance in shock at the audacity of this woman. Owen quickly supported her and tried to steer her past the vicious reporter.

"Miss Lauren is not answering any questions today," he said shortly, leaving no room for argument.

Miss St. John decided she was going to try arguing anyway. "People have a right to know! As a reporter it is my job to..."

Then, to the surprise of David, Owen and Fox, Lauren whirled on the reporter. "People have a right to know WHAT, Miss St. John?! How the FUCK is it anyone's god damned business?! If it had been some other family with no social status in the city of New York, no one would give a shit, but because my uncle happens to be David Xanatos, it's suddenly everyone's right to know?! What kind of fucked up logic is THAT?! But to answer your first question, if you'd look at my face and crutches, you'd know I almost DIDN'T survive! And to answer your SECOND bullshit question, which quite frankly was heartless and fucking low on your part, YES! I DID watch her DIE! I watched that bastard slam the back of her neck against the counter and heard it SNAP like a fucking TWIG! That was right before he came after ME! Now, if you will excuse me, I would like you to get your head out of your ass and leave me alone so I can try to forget it all and start living a DECENT life!!" She angrily opened the door to the limo and climbed in, Owen quickly rushing forward to help, and leaving Nichole St. John with a stunned expression on her face.

Xanatos glared at the reporter. "If you ever approach my niece again, I will charge you with harassment! She's been through enough without you twisting the knife!" Then he and Fox climbed in after her as Owen climbed into the front and they drove away.

_______________________

Fox sat to the left of Lauren while David sat to her right .The girl had her eyes closed and was trying to calm herself down. She looked as if she was on the verge of tears once more and was desperately trying to fight it off.

Xanatos sighed heavily. "Lauren, I'm so sorry about that. Miss St. John is one of the most vicious reporters in the city, and I hate knowing that you had to come face to face with her."

Fox sighed. "It's one of the curses of living a high lifestyle. Everyone seems to think your life is suddenly their business. There's reporters and paparazzi hiding around every damn corner."

Lauren's eyes finally opened, dry and suddenly cold. "If that bitch comes up to me again, trying to shove that damn camera in my face and asking those kinds of questions, I'm going to knock some of her teeth out," she muttered quietly.

Xanatos smirked. "Sounds like a plan. When she tries to charge you with assault, I'll counter charge with stalking and harassment. My lawyers could kick her lawyers around the block without breaking a sweat."

Lauren managed a ghost of a smile hearing this. Fox rubbed her lower back gently.

"Just forget the press for now, sweetie. They won't bother you for the rest of the day, at least."

She simply nodded and said nothing more for the rest o the ride back to the Aerie Building.

****************

**Please tell me what you think!! Read and Review!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yes. This is Chapter Three. This is probably the longest chapter I've ever uploaded, and I hope nobody minds.**

**If it takes me a few days to upload the next one, I apologize and ask for patience. Thanks!!**

**I do not own Gargoyles. All I own is Lauren!!**

*********************

When they got back to the Aerie Building, Xanatos immediately headed to his office while Owen and Fox helped Lauren bring her new wardrobe to her room. Owen's cell phone rang just as they reached the room.

He flipped it open. "Yes?" His eyebrow rose quizzically. "Very well. One moment please." He looked at Fox and handed the phone to her. "It's your father."

She blinked and then slapped herself on the forehead. "The R&D discussion for the future of Cyberbiotics! I can't believe I forgot!" She smiled at him a little apologetically. "Would you mind helping Lauren on your own? I have a feeling this is going to be a long conversation. You know how Daddy loves to put in random comments about integrity.

Owen almost smiled, remembering his days working for Mr. Renard. "Of course."

Fox smiled in thanks and headed off down the hall, talking to the man on the other end quietly.

Lauren blinked slowly. "Fox's dad is the CEO of Cyberbiotics?" she asked a little incredulously She remembered seeing the old man once or twice on the news in his high tech wheelchair talking about the latest developments of his corporation.

Owen nodded stoically. "Yes. Mr. Renard was actually who I worked for before I came into the employ of Mr. Xanatos. He is quite adamant about the integrity of his employees. Unfortunately his health is beginning to deteriorate and so he is attempting to teach Fox about the corporation and prepare her for when she inherits it. He has only recently taken to doing deals with Mr. Xanatos himself. They have a... rocky past, if you will." He cleared his throat meaningfully. "Shall we?"

She nodded and followed him into the room. She saw almost immediately that they had had a large dresser brought in while they'd been gone, as well as a wide screen, flat panel TV, with a DVD player, several bookshelves, and a work desk complete with a state of the art computer.

Her jaw dropped as she took it all in. "Whoa..."

Owen gave her a small smile. "Mr. Xanatos spares no expense to make his guests feel welcome. These additions to your room will also allow you to relax in here over the next week without becoming bored so you can recover adequately from your ordeal. I'm sure Mr. Xanatos will be more than willing to get you whatever else you might wish to add as well."

Lauren immediately blushed. She'd NEVER had anyone treat her so... generously before. She honestly didn't know what to say.

Owen led her to the closet where he helped her organize and hang her formal wear. Fox had somehow managed to sneak in a couple dresses Lauren didn't remember even trying on, and that she didn't see herself wearing in a million years.

Once that was done, they moved on to the dresser, keeping their conversation down to a minimum as they filled the drawers with her informal clothes. Once they were finished with that, Owen straightened himself and looked at his watch. It was three thirty, so he still had time to address another issue his employer had brought up this morning before their new benefactor had been roused.

"Mr. Xanatos has brought up the issue of your education. He wishes for you to be as comfortable as possible, and would like to know if you would like to attend public school, private school, or simply have a tutor come in to teach you one on one."

Lauren hesitated. "Well, I'm definitely not a fan of the public school system, and I don't think I'll ever fit in with the kinds of kids that get private educations, so I think a tutor would be the best."

He nodded, jotting this down on his pad. "And what grade level are you at, Miss Lauren?"

THAT made her fidget uncomfortably. "Um... actually... I'm... not sure."

He rose an eyebrow at that. "You don't know what your grade level is?"

She sighed and sat on the edge of her bed. "I skipped more than I attended. I mean... would you want to go to school if you looked the way I do right now? There was the odd time that Craig didn't go for the face and I just suffered through school with the injuries hidden under my clothes. I even went to school with a collapsed lung and a concussion once... any excuse to get out of that house, but..." She shrugged helplessly. "Going to school looking like this would be like telling the world that my would-be father used me as a punching bag."

She cleared her throat. "I can read and write well enough. I'm a big time reader, so I think that might partially make up for what I missed in the school system, but I'm honestly not sure how up to par I am compared to other people my age."

Owen cleared his throat as well and nodded formally. "Your circumstances are understandable. We will hire a private tutor and arrange for you to take a placement test to guage your current grade level in various subjects. We will work from there." He looked at his watch again. "Doctor Gordon should be here in the next fifteen minutes."

Lauren couldn't help but let out a groan at the sudden reminder that her uncle had called in a shrink to see her.

He looked at her. "I understand your reluctance, but Mr. Xanatos wishes to ensure that your emotional and psychological health are properly addressed."

She sighed heavily but couldn't bring herself to look at him. "I know he's doing what he thinks is right, but... I've lived it for seventeen years and it's all I've been talking about for the past three days, and all I really want is to just forget it altogether."

Owen allowed his compassionate side to come forth as he knelt in front of Lauren and placed his hands on her shoulders, giving her a look of encouragement and a little sympathy.

"Everything will be all right, Lauren. I assure you, Mr. Xanatos will NOT let any harm come to you. We are all here for you, even me."

She blinked in surprise at two things. The fact that this seemingly unemotional man was attempting to comfort and encourage her, and... "You didn't call me MISS Lauren..."

A surprisingly wry smile crossed his face. "There is a time when formality must be set aside, if only for a moment." Lauren suddenly felt a strange pull in the back of her mind, some niggling feeling that Mr. Burnett was more than he appeared to be.

That moment was suddenly disrupted when the phone beside her bed rang. She blinked in surprise as Owen answered it, immediately putting on his emotionless persona again.

"Yes?... Very well, Mrs. Xanatos. I will greet him and let her know." He hung up the phone and looked at her. "Doctor Gordon has arrived and is on his way up. I shall bring him here to your room in a moment." He left without another word.

Lauren sat quietly in her room, resisting the urge to just slip out and find a closet to hide in for the next two or three hours. She just knew this Doctor Gordon was going to ask her questions that were far more personal than the ones the police had asked her.

About five minutes had passed before the knock came to her door. The girl let out a loud sigh and prepared herself. "Come in," she said loudly.

Owen entered and gave her a formal bow. "May I present Doctor Emery Gordon. He will spend an hour with you this evening." A kindly looking man with a clipboard and a suitcase entered the room. He was at least in his late forties with thinning brown hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He came forward and shook Lauren's hand. The girl tried to smile politely, but it felt more like a grimace.

Owen inclined his head toward them both. "I will return in one hour. If you will excuse me?" He turned and left the room.

The man smiled at her as he pulled the chair away from her new desk and set it up so he was facing her, but at a comfortable distance. "Well, Miss Johnson, I've heard a great deal about you..."

She stiffened noticeably. "Please, just call me Lauren."

He didn't question her. He simply nodded. "Very well. Your uncle contacted me, and after reading today's paper, I understand why. Although Mr. Burnett tells me that not all the details were accurate, the basics of the story were true. That in itself has me concerned for your well being. However, I am not one who likes to hear a story from a second or third person viewpoint, but from a personal viewpoint. I'm going to do whatever I can to keep the questions from becoming too uncomfortable, but there are some issues that we must address. Do you understand?"

She took in a deep breath and nodded. She kept her face neutral but secretly hoped that a hole would open up beneath her and swallow her.

He cleared his throat meaningfully. "Now, I understand that you've lived with your father's abuse for..."

"He wasn't my father," she said shortly. "He was just married to my Mom. I never met my real dad."

He nodded easily. "Very well, your step-father, then. I understand that both you and your mother lived with his abuse for many years?"

"Yes," she said simply.

___________________________

Owen Burnett entered David Xanatos' office where the CEO was watching on a surveillance screen, the activities in his niece's room. The camera was very strategically hidden, the lens looking like nothing more but a minor imperfection in the stone, but was VERY rarely used. Xanatos thought that in this situation, it was necessary if he hoped to help his niece adjust to her new life and help her recover from the old one.

Owen sat down in a chair beside Xanatos and watched with an air of indifference, though Puck was mentally leaning forward to listen very carefully.

"Doctor Gordon just learned that Lauren doesn't like to use her step-father's surname," Xanatos said with a small smirk on his face.

Owen nodded wordlessly and watched. Mr. Xanatos depended on him more than anyone, and so both wordlessly agreed that the majordomo should watch as well.

The doctor continued with his questioning.

"I want you to think back, Lauren. Tell me, what's the first memory you can recall?"

Lauren was visibly uncomfortable upon being asked this question. She was quiet for a long moment before she slowly started to speak.

"I was hiding... behind the arm of the recliner in the living room, watching as Craig beat my mother. I was four, maybe five. I... remember she was curled up in a fetal position in the far corner of the room, her arms trying to shield her head as he was kicking her. I don't remember what it was that set him off. It could have been anything from a shoddy cleaning job to saying something that he just didn't agree with. He could have been drunk, I don't know. I just remember her screaming and crying and begging him to stop, but that just seemed to make him hit her harder. All I could think of was how much I wanted him to stop hurting her, how I couldn't stand the sound of her screaming like that. Finally, I couldn't take it any more, and I ran forward to try and stop him."

Her voice was quiet but came through to the two men clearly. It had all the emotion of a dead stick.

"First I tried screaming at him to stop, but he didn't even glance at me. He just acted as if I wasn't even there. Then I tried pulling him away from her, but I was too small. He just shoved me to the floor and kept going. Then I just ran forward and shoved him away from her as hard as I could. He finally stopped hurting her and started in on me."

David took in a sharp breath hearing this and inwardly Puck was livid.

"I think that was the first time he beat me. I remember the pain of it, but at the time I didn't actually care. I didn't care because he wasn't hurting Mom anymore. I couldn't hear her screams. That was all I cared about." She took in a deep breath. "After a couple of minutes, he stopped and just stormed out of the house. I think I made a decision that day to step in and protect her if and when I could."

Owen jumped a little when he heard a sudden sharp snap. Looking at Mr. Xanatos, he saw his employer's fist had been around a pencil and his tightening grip had caused it to break. Xanatos' knuckles were white and his face set in a deep frown as he watched the screen with cold grey eyes.

So they continued to watch for the remainder of the session. Lauren sometimes answered with great clarity that almost gave them chills, and wasn't afraid to express her outright hatred for Craig. But then she also was very vague with some events, sometimes attempting to avoid them altogether. One such issue was her personal thoughts and feelings towards her own mother.

Then Doctor Gordon turned to a subject that was perhaps a little more comfortable for her since she seemed to visibly relax once he brought it up close to the end of their session.

"And what are your feelings in your new home, towards your new family? Mr and Mrs. Xanatos? Their son? Mr. Burnett since he, too, seems to be thoroughly involved in all family matters?"

Lauren gave a small sigh of relief upon hearing this question while the two men leaned forward to listen in suddenly intense interest.

"Well, to be perfectly honest, when I first learned that Mr. Xanatos was my uncle, I was a little angry at him for not contacting my mother. I mean, I didn't even know that he was related to me! I couldn't understand why he never even gave her a phone call in seventeen years, but..." She shook her head. "He has been trying so hard and investing so much to try and make me comfortable, I just can't stay angry at him. Besides, I suppose he was so busy with his corporation that he simply didn't have the time to look her up. He didn't have any real reason to believe that anything was happening to us, so I can't place any blame on him for that."

Xanatos, who had tensed at first, sighed with huge relief hearing this.

"Fox seems like a nice enough woman. I was a huge fan of The Pack when they were on TV, so I was a little excited to know I was going to be living with her. The only thing that bugs me a little about her is that she's... well... pushy about some things. I know she means well, but she basically force fed me a wardrobe that I'm really not that excited about, especially those dresses. I know Mr. Xanatos hosts lots of formal get-togethers, but... do I HAVE to attend them?"

"You don't want to attend those formal functions?"

She shook her head, a scowl on her face. "I'm not really into the life of high society. I mean... politics and corporate business would be the primary discussions taking place in those social gatherings, and I really don't care about things like that. Besides, I don't have any experience with formality at all, and I don't see myself mingling with corporate heads and politicians."

Xanatos grinned a little. "Don't worry, Lauren, my dear. Some of them are not as stuffy as you might think."

Owen couldn't help but let a little smirk come to his face.

Doctor Gordon smiled at her. "I'm sure if you talk to your uncle, the two of you could come to an agreement of some kind in regards to the social gatherings. And now, you've only got two more family members to reflect upon. Young Alexander and Mr. Burnett."

Lauren smiled a little. "Alex is an absolute sweetheart. I think I'm going to like spending time with him. I can't really say much else about him."

"And Mr. Burnett? I understand that he is merely an employee, but..."

Lauren nodded. "But he's also around here almost 24/7, as far as I've heard." She considered for a moment. "I'm not sure. When I first met him, I thought he was the stiffest, least emotional man on the face of the planet. For some reason, the first word that came to my mind when I first saw him was 'oatmeal'."

Xanatos roared with laughter while Owen cleared his throat slightly and rose an inquisitive eyebrow. He hoped Miss Lauren didn't take to calling him that like Fox had when he had worked for Mr. Renard.

"But for some reason I think there's more to him than that. He's definitely nice enough and he's always ready to offer help. I think I'll get along with him just fine."

Emery Gordon seemed satisfied to hear this as he continued writing his notes. "And what do you think of the lifestyle you will now be living?"

She moaned a bit, to the surprise of Xanatos.

"Okay, I'll give it this much. Money is great stuff, and Mr. Xanatos is certainly being generous with it, and I appreciate that. But..." She shook her head. "I'm just not used to living a life of opulence. I guess it's just something I'll have to get used to."

Doctor Gordon looked around her room, a small tinge of jealousy in his expression. "In what way?"

She considered. "Well, okay, this is probably going to sound weird, but I'm used to living low class in all ways. My diet consisted of microwave dinners more often than not. Now I'm suddenly finding myself eating high class meals. My clothes were mostly bought from second hands stores. Two hours ago, Fox bought me a pair of pants that cost two hundred dollars! Five days ago, if I'd had two hundred dollars to buy clothes with, I could have emptied my drawers and refilled them with new clothes!" She smiled a little sheepishly. "I know it seems strange but... I guess I feel... spoiled."

Xanatos grinned and leaned back. "And I haven't even scratched the surface yet, Lauren."

Dr. Gordon laughed a little. "It's perfectly all right for you to feel that way. You lived a life with little finances, and what little money you did have was probably not well cared for by your step father, correct?"

She scowled, hearing this. "That's an understatement, believe me. I used to steal money from his wallet just so we'd keep the power and the hydro. And I brought my stereo to a pawn shop two weeks after I got it on my fifteenth birthday so we didn't freeze to death when our heat was cut off."

The psychiatrist smiled at her. "See, then your family couldn't afford to give you the luxuries of life, but your new family CAN. And more, they WANT to. They want you to feel safe and comfortable, and they want for you to have the best of the best."

She sighed, a small smile coming to her face. "I guess it's just something I'll have to get used to."

The man looked at his watch. "Well, I suspect Mr. Burnett will be here to see me out soon. I'll come talk to you again in a few days. I'll make the appointment with your uncle."

Lauren didn't know if she should be relieved that he was leaving or not because he was coming back. So she simply gave him a smile and a nod.

Owen got to his feet and proceeded out the door.

__________________________

The majordomo led Dr. Gordon to Mr. Xanatos' office and showed him in.

The CEO approached the psychiatrist. "Well, doc? What's the diagnosis?"

The man sighed. "Well, she's not afraid to talk about the abuse itself. I guess she figures it doesn't matter anymore since it's become public knowledge anyway. But that girl is VERY tight lipped about almost everything else relating to her past. She doesn't seem to want to elaborate on friends in school, or the lack thereof, of her relationship with her mother, which may hold great importance... She won't talk about hobbies, coping techniques... ALL victims of abuse have some form of coping technique to help them deal with the trauma. Most abused children deal with the pain by cutting themselves, so I recommend you keep an eye on her. Until she reveals her coping method, we can't be too careful. Even with her seemingly adjusting well to her new environment.. She has no serious issues with anyone she has dealt with here so far, and that is a very good sign. But until more time passes and I have more opportunities to speak with her, I can offer little else. Although she DID voice some discomfort at the sudden change of scene and opulence... and she is very uneasy at the thought of attending any of your more formal gatherings."

"Hmmm..." Xanatos rubbed his chin, pretending to consider this, even though he had known of that concern already. "I'll find a way to broach the subject with her. I'm sure we can come to some sort of compromise."

Doctor Gordon smiled at him. "I'm sure she would appreciate that very much." He looked at his watch. "I would like to come back here in three days time, perhaps at four o'clock again?"

Owen looked through his memo pad. "Four o'clock is indeed free on that day," he confirmed.

Emery Gordon nodded. "And now, if there is nothing else, Mr. Xanatos?"

The CEO shook his head. "No. Thank you for coming, Doctor. Owen will show you out."

_______________________________

Moments after Owen had showed Emery Gordon out, he ran into Fox and Petros Xanatos in the hallway.

"He showed up about ten minutes ago. Is David finished with his meeting?" she asked smoothly.

Owen nodded. "Yes. I just showed Doctor Gordon out a moment ago." He turned to Petros. "If you would follow me?"

The Maine fisherman nodded, still too upset upon hearing the news of his youngest child's death to say anything to the majordomo.

He didn't waste any time when he stepped into his son's office.

"Where is my granddaughter? Is she all right?"

Xanatos stood up from his desk with a sigh. "Hi, Pop. I'll bring you to her room right now. I have to warn you, though... she looks pretty bad, but she was thoroughly examined by one of my doctors and she will be absolutely fine in only a week or so."

The man nodded and allowed his son, daughter-in-law, and fay in disguise to lead him to her room.

When they knocked and entered, they saw that Lauren had been watching television. She muted it the moment they entered the room. The moment she saw Petros, she knew he was her grandfather. The resemblance between him and her uncle was rather obvious.

Xanatos smiled at her. "Lauren, meet your grandfather, Petros Xanatos."

The older man came forward slowly and then sat on the bed beside the young woman. "Oh, Lauren... I haven't seen you since you were yay big," he said in his Greek accent, holding his hands about ten inches apart. "How the time has flown by. I only wish our meeting could have happened under better circumstances."

Owen quietly excused himself so he could tend to Alexander.

Lauren wasn't sure what she should say. She hadn't even known that she'd HAD a grandfather!

The man smiled at her kindly and ran his fingers gently over her swollen eye. "Well, I'd say one more night and this eye of yours will start to open."

The bare trace of a smile came to her lips. "I hope so," she said quietly.

David cleared his throat and stepped forward. "I know this isn't something anyone wants to think about right now, but... their funerals are tomorrow afternoon."

She simply nodded silently. Then she glanced up and her eye went wide as she did a double take. She grabbed the remote off the bed and unmuted the television. The others turned in surprise at this action and saw Nichole St. John standing in front of an old house that was in bad need of a paint job and had a couple windows covered with cardboard.

"This is Nichole St. John, standing in front of Lauren Johnson's former home. Only three days ago, a phone call from a concerned neighbor led the police to discover the bodies of Elaine Johnson and her husband, Craig. They also found a highly traumatized seventeen year old Lauren Johnson, the only survivor in a brutal case of domestic violence. It was confirmed by this reporter earlier today that Miss Johnson witnessed the death of her mother and only narrowly escaped death herself..."

Lauren's expression turned downright vicious. "Why don't you show the world that video while you're at it, you heartless bitch?" she growled.

Petros glanced at her in surprise, but said nothing as he continued to watch along with his son and daughter-in-law.

"Miss Johnson learned that she is the niece of our very own David Xanatos and now lives with him and his family in the Aerie Building. This reporter hopes to get an exclusive interview with one of them, perhaps even Miss Johnson herself, in the near future. My sincerest sympathies go out to that poor girl, and I wish her a speedy recovery from her grievous injuries."

Lauren had to strongly resist the urge to throw the remote across the room. It was Petros who finally pried it from her white knuckled grip and shut off the TV as Travis Marshall showed up on the news, getting into the story of a small but popular restaurant that was going out of business.

"I used to find her news segments interesting. Now I just want to jump through the screen and strangle her," she growled.

Her uncle smirked. "I've thought the same thing more than once. I guess she just has that effect on people." He cleared his throat then and glanced at his watch. "And now, onto another matter entirely. You may find this question somewhat unusual, Lauren, but... What opinions do you have about the gargoyles?"

Lauren blinked in surprise at this odd question. "Well, since I've never encountered them personally, I can't really say for sure. I know I think the Quarrymen are a bunch of vandalizing modern day Nazi's who spread lies. I've never heard of the average citizen being harmed by them before, and certainly never heard anything about them kidnapping babies..." She shrugged. "I guess until I meet them, I can't make any decisions."

Xanatos considered. Then he picked up his phone. "Owen, meet us on the parapets with Alex in five minutes." He hung up and looked at her. "You haven't been up to the top of the castle yet. Let's give you a quick tour. There is something we need to show you."

Lauren blinked and let a small smile come to her face. Ever since she'd heard that David Xanatos had had the castle moved to the top of the Aerie building, she'd been wanting to see the parapets herself. "That sounds good."

Petros cast a small look at his son, but said nothing. If he noticed, the CEO never said anything. Instead, with his father's help, he got Lauren back to her feet and started leading her through the corridors of the castle and up the elevator to the parapets. Owen appeared only seconds after they arrived, holding Alexander professionally with one arm.

Lauren saw six gargoyles frozen in stone before her, and noticed a large one on the parapet up above. There was an old one with a sword, one with a beak-like mouth, a chubby one, a small one with membranous wings, a female, and a strange four-legged beast that reminded her of a dog.

Elisa came into view behind them and blinked, seeing Lauren there.

Xanatos smiled. "Good evening, Detective."

Elisa offered him a somewhat forced smile. "Hey, Xanatos. I guess you're letting her in?"

He nodded. "Yes. It's best to get it over with now."

Lauren blinked, about to ask what they were talking about and why Elisa was here, when the sun vanished below the horizon and the sound of cracking stone filled the air. Her attention was back on the stone figures before her instantly and her eyes widened when she saw cracks breaking their features. Then the stone skin broke away and the seven creatures roared into life.

Lauren let out a haggard gasp and took a step back, her legs almost turning to jelly. Owen quickly put a comforting hand on her shoulder and prepared himself to catch her if she should fall.

Then the creatures turned around to take in their human visitors. The six before her smiled and were joined a moment later by the large figure that had been on the highest parapet.

Xanatos smiled at his stunned niece. "Don't worry, Lauren. They won't hurt you. I'd like you to meet the gargoyles."

Lauren took a cautious step forward as a brick-red gargoyle, the one with the beak-like mouth, and a shock of white hair smiled at her. "Hey, nice to meet you!"

The large one took a step toward Lauren and it took every ounce of her willpower to stay where she was. The gargoyle bowed to her. "It is an honor to meet you, Lauren. I am Goliath." He indicated the red one. "This is my second in command, Brooklyn." He indicated a dark green one, the one with the odd wings. "This is Lexington," A chubby aqua blue gargoyle. "Broadway," The old one. "Hudson." The female gargoyle, who she saw shared the large one's violet coloring. "My daughter, Angela," and finally the strange dog-like beast. "And this is Bronx."

She swallowed thickly. "Um... hi..."

Xanatos smiled at her. "You'll get used to them, don't worry. It'll only take a night or two."

Broadway let out another yawn and a stretch. "Well, I'm heading inside to make breakfast!"

Brooklyn and Lexington immediately nodded in agreement, gave Lauren a quick welcoming wave, and followed their rookery brother into the castle.

Lauren looked at Elisa. "So... you're friends with them too, I take it?"

Elisa gave her a small smile. "Yeah. I met them the night they first arrived, actually."

Goliath came over and took Elisa's hand. "Elisa is a highly valued member of our clan."

Lauren blinked in surprise and suddenly found herself fighting off a blush. When she'd first heard about the gargoyles, the possibility of a human/gargoyle relationship hadn't even occurred to her. But the body language the Detective and Goliath were evincing was too much evidence to ignore.

Angela came forward and extended one of her four fingered hands. "Hi. It's great to finally meet you, Lauren."

The girl barely hesitated before accepting the handshake. "It's nice to meet you too, Angela."

"Aye," the old one said in a heavy Scottish accent. "'Tis always a pleasure to meet another friend," he said.

Bronx came up to her and started sniffing at her legs curiously. Lauren took a cautious step back.

"Ach! Ya beast! Don't you be makin' the girl more nervous than she already is! Away with ye!" He came forward and drew the garg-beast back.

Xanatos smiled at his niece. "Well, what do you think?"

Lauren shook her head in awe. "I had heard the rumors that they were living up here but... I'd never believed it." She gave a small smile. "It's nice to know that the Quarrymen are totally wrong... Not that I believed them, or anything..."

Fox came forward and took Alex from Owen. "Well, all's good and now you know," she said with a smile on her face. "And I think it's time for me to get handsome here fed and changed." She turned and went inside.

Elisa smiled. "I think Goliath and I have some plans in the library." The two of them blushed a little and vanished inside.

Lauren couldn't help but ask. "Um... are those two... that is...?"

Her uncle chuckled. "The two of them are... very close, if you catch my meaning, yes."

Angela sighed. "I think it's so romantic. I cannot wait until Broadway and I have our joining ceremony." She smiled at them. "Speaking of which, he's bringing me out after breakfast, so I should probably join the boys inside now." She gave Lauren a bow and was off.

Someone's cell phone rang and Xanatos picked it up. "Xanatos here... Yes, of course. I'll be right there." He hung up and looked at Owen. "I have a brief meeting with Mr. Matthers at Gen-u-Tech R&D. I should be back soon."

Owen cleared his throat. "Do you require my assistance with...?"

Xanatos shook his head before he could finish asking. "I'll have Reynolds chauffeur me. I would like you to stay here and make sure Lauren is comfortable."

The girl turned a little red hearing this. She felt beyond weird having a servant looking out for her every need.

Owen simply nodded. "Of course, sir."

Xanatos headed back inside, leaving Lauren alone with her grandfather, one majordomo, one gargoyle, and one gargoyle-beast.

Petros looked at Lauren. "Would you like for me to stay with you?" he asked.

She blinked. "I think I'll be okay, but thank you. I'm not planning on staying up much longer, anyway. My pain meds have worn off and I think I'd just like to have them and go to bed."

He nodded respectfully. "Of course. I'll see you in the morning then." He gave her a kiss on the forehead and headed off inside.

Hudson smiled at her. "We'll be seeing you around, lass. You just get that rest. Ye look like you've had a rough day." He signaled the garg-beast. "Come Bronx! We should be able to get in a game of Celebrity Hockey before we go on patrol!" The two of them headed on inside.

Owen looked at her. "Do you wish to return to your room, Miss Lauren?"

She let out a small sigh and a nod. "Yeah..."

Nodding, Mr. Burnett gently led her back inside and down the elevator to her floor. He continued on taking a slow pace to make sure Lauren didn't fall. He opened the door to her room and followed her inside.

"Is there anything you require before you go to sleep, Miss Lauren?"

She almost smiled again. Somehow, she found his stiff posture and impeccable grammar amusing. "Just a glass of water to chase my pill down with."

"Knock, knock!" Fox said as she stuck her head in the door once more. "Petros said that you were going to bed soon so I thought I'd drop by to help you change into something more comfortable," she said with a smile as she came fully into the room.

Owen didn't seem phased in the least. "I will get you your water, Miss Lauren."

Fox closed the door behind him as he left. "Be sure you knock before coming back in!" she called after him before heading to Lauren's dresser and pulling out a nightgown. Then she offered Lauren a wide smile. "Let's get you changed, sweetie." She layed the nightgown on the bed and proceeded to help Lauren get undressed. "Some day, huh?"

The girl managed a bare smile. "Yeah... some day."

"If you're nervous about the gargoyles, let me put your mind at rest right now. They live to protect, and I know one hundred percent that they would NEVER hurt you."

Lauren's smile grew a fraction of an inch. "I was never worried that they would hurt me. It's just... something else to get used to, that's all. I don't mind living here with them. I find them... interesting."

Fox grinned as she prepared the nightgown to go over Lauren's head. Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Just hold on a minute, Owen!" the former Pack leader called. She quickly but carefully pulled the nightgown down. "Okay, come on in!"

Owen entered the room holding a tall glass of water in his hand. He set it down on her nightstand as Fox helped the girl sit down and set her crutches against the wall.

Lauren wordlessly took one of her pills from the packet and tossed it back, chasing it back with the water.

Owen looked at the two ladies. "Is there anything else you require?"

Fox smiled at him. "Not just this second, but stick close by."

He nodded and went to wait outside the door.

"There is one thing I'm wondering," Lauren said.

Fox looked at her. "And what's that?"

"About the gargoyles... Where do they come from? And how the heck did they wind up here in New York?"

"Now THAT is one long story, and seeing as how those pills are going to knock you out in the next few minutes, I think it'll have to wait. You'll find out everything eventually. For now, just lie down and get some rest. You have another long day ahead of you tomorrow."

Lauren's expression turned inward. "Their... funerals," she said quietly, not quite able to meet her companion's eyes.

The older woman sighed and placed a hand over the girl's for a moment before gently laying her down on the bed. "One day at a time. We're all here for you, okay?"

Nodding tiredly, the girl let out a small yawn, and then let her eye slide shut. Fox stayed right where she was for another moment, just to be absolutely sure she was out for the night, before she called Owen back into the room.

The majordomo reentered the room and nodded. "Yes, Mrs. Xanatos?"

The woman gave him an almost pleading look. "Last night you made one of her nightmares go away and she slept straight through the rest of the night. She's going to have a very long and stressful day tomorrow, and I know there's some law about not interfering with humans, but if it's at all possible..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Owen flared brightly and Puck stood in his place. "As long as it does not DIRECTLY interfere in human affairs, I am more than willing and capable of stealing away her night terrors," he said with a smile. He stepped up to the side of her bed and looked at the girls beaten but peacefully sleeping features for a moment before laying his fingers at her temple.

"_From time of night till time of day, _

_May all night horrors be kept at bay."_

The words had been spoken softly, almost fondly. He looked at the girl for a few more seconds before he turned to face a bemused looking Fox.

"So, when do we get to introduce her to the fay behind Owen?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Fox smirked. "Baby steps, Puck. She just learned about the gargoyles today. Let's wait until she's used to them and until she's recovered from her ordeal. We don't want to give her a sensory overload."

He almost seemed to pout. "You mean I have to HIDE from her?"

Her smirk widened. "Only for a week or so, Puck. Surely an immortal trickster like you can wait that long." Her own expression turned mischievous. "Unless you're... interested in her?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," he said, his voice almost exactly mirroring Owens.

Fox laughed. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. Well, now that she's sleeping soundly, I think you should get some lessons with Alex in before he has to say goodnight."

His face split into a wide grin once more. "Sounds like a plan!" Not bothering to revert back to Owen, the two of them exited the room.

______________________________________

The next morning, Lauren was awakened by Owen once more. She groggily crawled out of sleep and tried to ignore the throbbing in her ribs. And why was her vision so damned blurry?

Then she blinked and realized that her eye had opened... at least half-way, anyway.

"Miss Lauren? Are you all right?"

A smile tried to make it to her face again. "I'm fine, Owen. Come on in!"

Owen opened the door and wheeled in a tray of food again. "Good morning, Miss Lauren. How are you feeling this morning?"

She gave him a small smile. "A little better. My eye's starting to open, and my throat doesn't feel like sand paper anymore."

He stepped up to her and held hi hand toward her questioningly. "If I may?"

She shrugged and almost winced at the pain it still brought her. She decided she would have one more pain killer for today, and one more to help her sleep tonight, but she would go without it during the day tomorrow and see what happened.

Owen gently took hold of her chin with his fingers and examined her face with a scrutiny that was almost eerie in its intensity. Then he offered her one of his rare smiles. "Your bruising is beginning to fade. In only a few days you should have no injuries visible on your face." He released his hold on her and started organizing the tray.

She sighed in relief. "Well, that's good. At least then I won't have to put up with all the stares in public." Then she blinked and fidgeted uneasily. "Um... are there going to be any... y'know... reporters at the funeral?" she asked, her stomach a little queasy at the thought of running into Nichole St. John at the funeral.

Owen paused in what he was doing and looked at her worried expression. He let out a barely detectable sigh, knowing he couldn't lie to her. "I'm afraid that the chances are good that there will be several reporters present. However, if you stay close to us, you should have minimal difficulties."

The girl let out a moan. The last thing she wanted to see was people taking pictures of their coffins so they could put them in tomorrow's paper. Then she suppressed a sigh as Owen moved the tray before her so she could eat. She managed to sit up with no help this morning and was relieved to know that she wouldn't be disabled for as long as she had feared.

She started eating as Owen tidied up her room, as was apparently a normal routine for him. Once again, she only managed to eat about half of what was on her plate. Her nerves told her that if she had any more, the contents of her stomach would reverse course.

She could have sworn she saw a tinge of concern in Owen's expression as he came forward to take her plate, but it was gone before she could be sure. She then took her pain killer, hoping the high from her meds would help to take away some of the pain at the funeral.

Fox stuck her head in the door. "Morning, hon! Let's get you dressed, okay?" She looked at Owen. "Can you take care of Alex this morning? David's just taking care of some last minute business before... we have to go."

He nodded stoically. "Of course." He walked out of the room without another word.

Lauren never said a word as Fox went into her closet and pulled out a black dress for her, led her into the bathroom to clean her up, and then proceeded to help her dress.

Finally, Fox couldn't stand the silence any longer. "Are you okay, Lauren? You haven't said a word since I came in."

She sighed. "I'm just... trying to prepare myself."

Her godmother smiled at her gently. "Everything is going to be all right. If any reporters come up to you, I'll pop them one."

Lauren almost smiled. That was something she'd pay to see!

"Okay, now let's get your hair done up and we're good to say good morning to David."

Nodding, the girl let Fox start working on her hair. Twenty minutes later, the two of them were out the door.

Xanatos wasn't in the dining room when they arrived, so Lauren simply sat down and made herself comfortable while Fox got her some juice. Her uncle finally walked in the door holding Alex in his arms, Petros and Owen right on his heels. All four of them were dressed in formal black clothes.

Fox sighed. "Well, I guess I better go get ready myself. I'm the only one not dressed for the occasion." She walked out of the room.

Xanatos came up to Lauren after handing Alex to his father and smiled a little. "Ah, your eye is opening! Nice to see you with a set again!"

Lauren could barely make the corners of her lips turn up, and what little smile she could give didn't reach her eyes. In fact, she looked scared to death.

The billionaire sighed and got down on a knee in front of her, gently taking her hands in his own. "Lauren, I know this is hard for you. Now, this is what's going to happen. The funeral is going to take place in St. Marks Cathedral on the North Side. The press will NOT be allowed inside the door. The only people who are going to be in the church besides us will be Detectives Maza and Bluestone, and some representatives from two or three Domestic Violence Societies. Now, so long as you stay close to us, you shouldn't have too many problems with the press. Once we get to the cemetery, I think most of them will have the decency to keep their distance, or at least keep silent until it's done. And the one's that don't will have to deal with US."

She sighed and gave a nod in response.

Meanwhile, Alex had been set down by Petros and had gone over to Lauren's side. He put one of his chubby little hands on hers but said nothing.

After a few minutes, Fox reentered the room and looked at her watch. "Well, I'd say it's just about time to go."

Xanatos nodded and got to his feet. "Yes. Let's get going."

_____________________________

Somehow Lauren wasn't surprised when she saw Miss St. John's van following the limo from the Aerie Building. Fortunately, they managed to get into the church before she could approach them. But there were also news vans from several other stations there. Lauren was kept between Owen and her uncle, with Petros in front of her and Fox behind as they made their way into the church. The adults made it clear that Lauren was NOT speaking to anyone today.

The girl sighed with immense relief when they were finally inside and she deliberately avoided looking at the two coffins sitting at the front of the church. She just numbly let Owen and Xanatos lead her to the front pew and sat her down.

She didn't listen to a word the priest said as he went through his sermon. At one point she glanced back and saw Elisa Maza and Matt Bluestone sitting two rows behind her, as well as Officer Morgan and Captain Chavez, whom she had briefly met when she'd spent her day at the police station.

Then Petros got up to give Elaine's eulogy, being careful not to speak at all about the man she was to be buried beside, for fear of saying something blasphemous in the church.

Lauren kept her eyes on the floor in front of her and listened as he told about how sweet, cheerful, loving and carefree she had been. How full of hope and life, and Lauren had to bite down on her tongue to keep herself from screaming. He went on to tell stories, including a detailed account that had a few people in church chuckling as he told of the time Elaine had pushed her older brother into the lake in Maine. The story didn't even make Lauren crack the ghost of a smile.

Then it was time for the final viewing. Lauren gave Craig's corpse a glare as she barely glanced at it and stopped just for a few seconds to view her mother. Between the embalming and the make up they had put on her, she didn't look real. She almost looked like a wax figurine, which helped because it made the situation seem a little less real.

She looked back over at Craig then and her glare returned. She felt her rage building up inside of her. Owen was on one side of her while her uncle was on the other. Lauren's eyes were squarely on the man who had killed her mother, so she never saw the servant's eyes were upon her.

Puck jumped from within Owen as he felt Lauren's magic spike for an instant and caught a green glow in her eyes. In the same instant, one of the legs that held up the coffin snapped, sending it crashing to the floor with a bang that had several people screaming in surprise. Owen quickly pulled Lauren back as it hit the floor, and the open lid slammed shut.

"What the hell happened?!" Xanatos demanded.

The priest didn't even bother reprimanding him for using that language within the church walls. "I'm... not sure. The wheeler must have been faulty in its construction."

Xanatos sighed and looked at her. "Lauren, I..."

"Don't worry about it," she said, her expression and voice cold. "I consider it the highlight of my day so far. It couldn't have happened to a nicer man." She turned and started off without another word.

Owen quickly moved to follow her, his thoughts spinning. Had she done that intentionally, or was it merely an accident? Was she even aware of her own magical abilities? Then Maza and Bluestone approached the girl and he was forced to put his considerations aside for the moment.

"Hey, Lauren," Elisa said with a small smile. "How are you doing?"

She sighed. "I'm managing."

Matt looked from the downed coffin to Lauren and almost looked as if he was going to ask what had happened there, but Elisa caught his gaze and elbowed him hard in the side. "OW! Uh, we just thought that coming here was the least we could do."

Lauren looked around. "Where'd Captain Chavez and Morgan go?"

Elisa smiled. "Richards came in here saying there was something wrong at the station. The Captain and Morgan told us to stay here while they went and took care of it."

A woman who looked to be in her early thirties came up to her. She was dressed in a black business suit and had dark brown hair that had been cut short. "Excuse me, Lauren Johnson?"

"Just Lauren, please," she said, managing a tight smile that felt as fake as it probably looked.

The woman nodded in understanding. "Of course. My name is Nadine Edmonds and I'm with the Domestic Violence Society. We take it upon ourselves to help women and children trapped in cases of domestic violence, and we send out a newsletter to the city every two weeks. Do you suppose it would be possible for us to talk about telling your story?... All in the interests of helping others, not for money," she said quickly when she saw the young woman's features darken. "We are a non-profit organization, and our only goal is to increase awareness of domestic violence and to take steps to prevent it and stop it."

Lauren took a deep breath. "Ms. Edmonds, I would love to help you, but... could we maybe discuss it another time?"

The woman's face turned deeply sympathetic as she nodded. "Oh, of course! I'm sorry, hon." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a card. "My number is on this. Give me a call when you feel ready, all right? It doesn't have to be soon."

Owen stepped forward then. "I will hold onto the card for Miss Lauren since she has no pockets of her own," he said. Nadine nodded and handed it to him. He slipped it into one of his inner pockets.

Xanatos came forward, his eyes looking just a little misty. "Well, what do you say to getting out of here? One more stop and then we're on our way home."

Lauren nodded as Ms. Edmonds left the church in the company of two other women. On to the cemetery

The press had stayed right where they were while the funeral had been going on, and the second the Xanatos' stepped out, they were pretty well swarmed. Owen and her uncle pushed their way through, the majordomo keeping a firm hold on Lauren's arm to ensure she wasn't lost in the crowd.

A barrage of questions fell upon her ears and she tried to simply ignore them all. Owen and Xanatos repeatedly told the reporters that she wasn't making any comments or taking any questions, but the reporters seemed to completely ignore them and continued to swarm around them.

"ENOUGH!!" bellowed a voice, as Matt Bluestone and Elisa Maza shoved their way through the sea of reporters and stood by the Xanatos'.

"NYPD! Listen! You guys wanna get answers?! Then why don't you try waiting for a more appropriate time?!" Elisa demanded.

Nichole St. John sneered at her. "We're reporters, Detective. We like to get exclusives."

Bluestone glared at her. "Oh, and I'm sure you're just _so_ sympathetic toward Lauren, aren't you, Miss St. John?" he asked sarcastically. "To come barging in, swarming her and demanding answers to your questions on the day that she's attending her mother and step-father's _funeral?_ To me, that just says that you guys have no decency or respect!"

Elisa looked at Xanatos. "Get going. We'll hold them off."

The man nodded his thanks to her as they quickly got into the limo and drove off.

Looking at Lauren as she sat between him and Fox, David thought given the circumstances, she would rather be anywhere else but here. She looked as if she was praying for a hole to open up beneath her and swallow her whole.

"Just to the cemetery and we get to go home," Petros said, evidently picking up on her discomfort as his son had.

She gave a barely perceptible nod in response.

They reached the cemetery in ten minutes and walked to the plots where Elaine and Craig were to be laid to rest. Lauren almost growled when she saw that the reporters were now entering the cemetery themselves. Thankfully, they were keeping a somewhat respectable distance. It seemed they were just there to try and nab a comment or two after the morbid business was over with.

Lauren, Petros and her uncle David stepped forward to dump a handful of dirt on Elaine's coffin. The three of them simply ignored Craig's grave, although Lauren briefly looked strained, as if she was resisting the urge to spit on it. Then she finally moved on with a sigh.

After a few moments, she took in a shaky breath. "Can we go now?" she asked quietly.

Xanatos smiled at her gently. "Sure. Let's get out of here." They started back for the limo.

They hadn't gotten ten steps when they heard it.

"Lauren Johnson! How did you manage to overpower your father? Did you or your mother ever try getting help to escape from the..."

Before Miss St. John could finish her questioning, Lauren let out a cry of rage and lashed out, her left fist solidly connecting with the reporters jaw and sending her sprawling onto the immaculate lawn of the cemetery The momentum almost sent Lauren sprawling herself, but Owen quickly caught her and adjusted her crutches for her.

Everyone stared at her in shock while she took in several deep breaths, trying to calm herself down.

Then Fox smirked. "Nice left hook, sweetie. I think she's had that coming for a long time."

Her uncle smiled wickedly. "You're a Xanatos all right! Now, let's go."

"I'll sue!" Nichole St. John screamed indignantly seconds later. "I'll charge you with assault!!"

Xanatos snarled himself now and whirled on her. "And I'll counter sue for harassment! I told you to stay the hell away from her! You got exactly what you deserved!" He turned without another word and finished leading them to the limo.

Once inside, Petros looked at Lauren. "Are you all right?"

She let out a sigh of relief. "That felt _so_ good."

"Let me see your hand," he ordered gently. Lauren shrugged and held it out to him. He took it in his hands carefully and examined it.

"You're lucky. It doesn't look like you hurt it. I thought from the sound that something must have broken."

She snorted. "I couldn't break my hand punching her. Her head's made of mush."

Xanatos roared with laughter right along with Fox. In the front seat, Owen cracked a smile.

Her uncle looked at her, more than a little amusement in his eyes. "Lauren, my dear, I think you're going to fit right in."

*****************

**Please Read and review!! I'm pretty sure the next chapter won't be as long as this one!!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for the reviews I have received so far. It's very much appreciated and I hope to receive more.**

**By the way, if anyone reading this didn't know, an on line fan group got together after the Gargoyles series ended, and continued it on the website www. gargyoles-fans. org. (They completely ignored all but the first episode of the Goliath Chronicles, thankfully!!) That is where I got the character Nichole St. John, and some other characters that are going to be showing up later on, but I'm changing the story line around significantly, so there will be little similarity between the on line continuation of the series, and my story here. I'm just encouraging people here to go to the site and read it because they did an AWESOME job!!!!!**

**That being said... I do not own Gargoyles myself (if I did, I would insert myself into the universe and claim Puck as my own personal trickster!!) All I own in this story is Lauren.**

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The moment they got back, Lauren retreated to her room and sat down on her bed with a sigh of relief. Owen set her crutches down within easy reaching distance to her and straightened.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Miss Lauren?"

She shook her head. "No, thank you. I think I'd... like to be alone for a while."

He inclined his head respectfully. "I understand. If there is anything you require, just push star 82 on your phone and it will put you in direct contact with my cell phone."

She gave him a small smile and nodded. "Okay."

Owen gave her a small bow and left the room.

Lauren leaned back on her bed with a sigh, grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.

_______________________________

As the servant made his way toward Xanatos' office, he heard a conversation coming from within.

"David, that girl didn't so much as sniffle during the entire funeral! She's either stuffing it all down, or she's just decided she doesn't care, and either way it's not healthy!"

"I know why you're concerned, Fox, but we're doing the best that we can right now. She's seeing a psychiatrist, she is in a safe and comfortable environment, by next week I'll have a tutor in to evaluate her education... She'll grieve in her own time."

Fox sighed. "I guess. I just wish there was something more I could do to help her."

Owen chose that moment to enter the room.

"How is she, Owen?" Xanatos asked.

He adjusted his glasses. "Miss Lauren is in her room. She requested some time to herself."

"Understandable. It may be, my dear, that she's just the sort that likes to grieve in private." Xanatos grabbed the remote off the top of his desk and pointed it toward the large screen. The hidden camera in Lauren's room turned on and they saw the girl curled up on her bed, looking a little dazed as she channel surfed. She was still in her formal dress.

Fox sighed. "I'd better get her in some regular clothes before she decides to change on her own. I know she's not a fan of dresses in the first place."

Her husband nodded absently, watching his niece. Once Fox was out of the room, the CEO looked at his assistant. "Where is my father, Owen?"

"Petros is in his own guest room, packing up his belongings. He has a plane booked for departure for tomorrow afternoon."

He nodded. Then his face turned serious. "Owen, you've spent a fair amount of time with Lauren. Have you found any evidence of how she is coping with her situation? Any evidence that she is hurting herself?"

Owen shook his head. "There is no sign of self-mutilation, Mr. Xanatos. I have not yet found what her coping technique involves, but I can assure you, I will continue to observe her. Once I find out what it is, I shall inform you."

Xanatos nodded. "All right." Then he looked at his watch. He shut off the screen that displayed Lauren's room and let out a sigh. "I had better get myself changed and take care of some of my business. Can you find me those forms from Techno-Tech Industries and have them on my desk by the time I get back?"

Owen nodded. "Of course, sir." He turned and left the room.

_______________________________

After Fox had come into her room and helped her change out of her dress, Lauren just sat on her bed and continued channel surfing, not really paying attention to what was on the screen. More than anything right now, she just wanted to curl up in a little ball and sleep, but it was still too early for her to.

She glanced over at one of the shelves in her room and spotted a small figurine that looked like it was made out of some sort of heavy wood. She considered for a moment and then inwardly shrugged. It had been almost a week and it would help her deal with her stress. She should stay in practice, anyway.

She lifted her hand and held it out toward the figurine. After a couple of seconds it seemed to shudder and slowly lifted off of the shelf a little shakily. She frowned thoughtfully. It must be the medications, she decided. All the more reason to get off of them as soon as she could. She managed to call the figurine over to her and held it in her hand a moment, examining it.

_______________________________

In Xanatos' office, Owen started slightly as he suddenly sensed magic being used nearby. It wasn't anything huge, but it was more than enough to get his attention. Reaching out with his senses, he tried to pinpoint where it was coming from. Alexander was currently fast asleep, so it wasn't coming from him. Then he realized it was coming from Lauren's room.

Xanatos looked up from the forms he was signing. "Is something the matter, Owen?"

The majordomo quickly composed himself once more. "I just remembered a matter I should attend to, Mr. Xanatos. May I be excused for a few moments?"

Raising an inquisitive eyebrow, but not commenting for the moment, Xanatos nodded. "Of course. I can handle things in here."

Owen nodded to him. "Thank you, sir." He turned and left the room.

Once he was almost at her room, Owen paused. He could think of no good excuse as to why he would be there, so knocking was not an option at this point. Besides, he doubted she would demonstrate her abilities while he was in the room!

Coming up with a plan, he looked up and down the hall to ensure he was alone, transformed into Puck, and made himself invisible. Then he phased through the wall and emerged in Lauren's room.

He found Lauren holding a crudely carved wooden figurine in her hands as she sat on her bed. She was examining it half heartedly, hefted it and then set it on the bed in front of her. She got a determined frown on her face as she held her hand up toward it.

"Okay, concentrate..." she muttered.

Puck hovered cross legged in midair, watching in great interest. He felt her magic spike once again and watched as the figurine lifted from the bed a little shakily. Her frown deepened with her concentration and he watched as she caused the figurine to do a small series of aerial maneuvers about a foot off of her bed.

_So she DOES know about her abilities!_ Puck thought in delight. _But how MUCH does she know? That is the real question._ Even if that question wasn't answered, at least he now knew her coping technique. But he wondered if he should tell Xanatos immediately or hold off for a couple of days until he investigated this matter further.

Unexpectedly, the young woman on the bed winced and gripped the sides of her head, the figurine falling harmlessly onto the mattress. Puck started, and his expression grew concerned as she kept her hold on her head and leaned forward slightly.

"Oooohhh.... This is new... Must be those damn pills," she growled. Then, after a moment, she lifted her head and looked at the figurine. She scowled at it.

Puck sensed her pent up frustration and anger, which she was now deliberately focusing on the ornament. He watched in tense silence and smiled when he felt her magic spike more alarmingly than her previous attempts and the figurine went flying off her bed and across the room. Her eyes flared green briefly.

The fay grinned. _So, the event with the coffin WASN'T an accident! Very interesting. I wonder just how far her control goes, however... _His line of thinking cut off when he saw her staring in the mirror with wide eyes. Her hands slowly came up beside her eyes as she stared.

"Did... did I just see... what I think I saw?" she asked a little numbly. "I could have sworn for a second that my eyes..." She trailed off and then quickly shook her head. "No. It's just the medications," she said, though she didn't sound so certain. Then she pulled her hands away from her face and looked at them curiously. "But then again... there was that new thing that happened during the attack..."

Puck was frowning again. From the way she was talking, it was obvious that she had no knowledge about Children of Oberon. That meant she had no idea of her true parentage. Once again, it brought up the dilemma of whether or not he should bring the subject up with Mr. Xanatos just yet or if he should wait.

Lauren was looking at her hands with a frown on her face. "How did I do it, though? It's one thing to move things without touching them, but THAT..." She shook her head.

The fay leaned forward, very much curious now as to what other ability she had recently discovered.

The young woman looked at her hand and seemed to concentrate hard for a moment, evidently trying to recreate whatever had happened during the attack. After a few long moments, she sighed and dropped her hand, shaking her head as she did so. "Either it was just a fluke, or I can't do it while I'm on the medications. I can't even remember how I did it in the first place but..." She closed her eyes and hung her head a little. "I just wish it had kicked in before Craig killed her..."

Puck flinched at these words. The last thing they needed was for her to start blaming herself for her mother's death. It was rare for a Halfling to discover their powers at all, much less to the extent that she had, and in the cases where they DID discover their abilities, their control was almost non-existent, and the displays of their power in a recognizable form were exceedingly rare. Then again, if her father was who Puck _thought_ he was, then it would certainly explain why she seemed to be different. The fact that he could feel the magic coming from her when she wasn't even utilizing it spoke volumes.

She sighed then and seemed to focus on the figurine that was now on the floor in the corner of the room. Holding her hand out to help her focus, it lifted up once more, this time simply floating a little shakily over to the shelf it had been sitting on before, and she let it drop down gently with a sigh of relief. She held her head and let out a moan.

"Yup... that's all for tonight. The hell with taking the pain meds tomorrow. It's not like I'm not used to being in pain. I feel weird not being able to control it better."

Puck frowned again, thinking. He could understand her desire to stop taking the medications if it was hindering her abilities, but he didn't like the fact that she would willingly be in physical pain just so she could utilize them more effectively. However, he also considered the fact that with her step-father now dead, she would no longer be on the receiving end of beatings on a regular basis, and so this would be her last time having to recover from this form of injury. At least she would if he and Xanatos had anything to say about it.

And besides, if it made her feel better emotionally, he supposed it was for the best. The pain would actually serve to help her focus in an odd way. Perhaps he might even be able to witness the new ability she had discovered tomorrow.

Keeping that in mind, Puck decided it would be for the best to keep her abilities his own little secret for now. Oh, he fully intended to inform Mr. Xanatos, but only when he had a better idea of what was going on himself. And although he suspected he knew who her real father was, he would have to examine her magical energy a little closer just to be certain.

Seeing the girl pick up the remote for the television once more, the fay decided it was time for him to make his exit. Phasing out through the wall once more, and making certain he was alone, he reverted back to Owen, and made his way back to Mr. Xanatos' office.

His employer looked at him as he reentered the room. "Was your matter taken care of, Owen?" he asked easily.

Owen nodded. "Yes, sir. For the most part. However, there are a few details that I will be needing to investigate over the next few days when the opportunity arises."

Xanatos looked at him for a long moment. It was obvious that he was curious, but he trusted in his assistant to tell him what was going on when he was ready. "All right, then. Let's get back to work, shall we?"

"Yes, Mr. Xanatos." Owen approached the desk and started going through the forms with the CEO once more.

______________________________

After about a couple hours of browsing through the channels and getting more than a little sick of seeing news reports on the funeral, Lauren shut off the television in disgust. Looking around the room, her eyes fell on the computer. Gathering up her crutches, she hobbled over to the desk and sighed when she saw the computer wasn't hooked up.

Lauren frowned. Unfortunately, she had never owned a computer before, and so she didn't have the slightest clue on how to hook one up. The few occasions when she had been on one was when she was in school, and rarely had she done anything more than work on assignments. She knew she was going to need help.

She headed for the doors and it was by pure luck that Fox was passing by as she stuck her head out into the hallway.

"Lauren! You shouldn't be wandering around on your own!" she chastised gently, ready to come forward.

The girl waved her off. "I'm used to using crutches, and my pain isn't bad right now. I think Owen's busy with my uncle right now, and I'm wondering if anyone can help me set up my computer."

Fox hesitated a moment before she sighed. Lauren was stubbornly independent, and she didn't see any harm in letting her wander around as long as she didn't overdo it. "Well, Daddy's dropping in to talk to me about Cyberbiotics, so..." She looked at her watch. "Sunset is only a few minutes away. Lexington's a certified computer genius, so you could ask him for help before the gargoyles go on patrol..."

Lauren couldn't for the life of her remember which of the gargoyles was Lexington, but she decided to take a chance anyway. She had a feeling it was one of the three that had quickly retreated indoors. "Okay. Thanks. I'll take care of it."

Fox smiled at her a little apologetically. "If Daddy wasn't here I'd be more than happy to..."

She shook her head. "Nah. I should get to know the gargoyles, so it's no problem."

The older woman sighed in slight relief. "Okay then. I'll see you later, all right?"

Lauren nodded. "Yup. See you later!" As went off down the hallway, Lauren went hobbling down the other with her crutches. She found the elevator and had it take her to the very top. Slowly making her way up the stairs, she made it to the parapets that had the gargoyles still frozen in stone.

She leaned against the wall, waiting patiently as the sun vanished below the horizon, and the sound of cracking stone filled the air. She watched, mesmerized, as the strange creatures broke out of their stone skin, greeting the new night with frightening roars.

When they saw her standing there, they broke out into smiles.

"Hey, nice to see you!" the beaked one said with a smile.

Hudson came up to her, a smile on his face. "It's good to see you up and about, lass, but should ye be walkin' without help?" he asked, a little concern coming to his voice.

She smiled a little sheepishly. "I'm... used to crutches. I'm okay with getting around. Er... which of you is Lexington again?"

The small, olive green one with the odd wings blinked and motioned to himself. "That'd be me."

Her smile widened slightly. "Um, hi. Mr. Xanatos, Owen and Fox are all busy right now, but before she had to take care of her business, Fox told me that you're good with computers?"

He perked up immediately while the rotund gargoyle rolled his eyes. "Oh, boy, you've got his attention now!"

Lexington seemed to ignore the larger gargoyle's jibes as he nodded a little eagerly. "Yes, I love computers! Can I help you with something?"

She felt relief at his eagerness to help. "Well, Mr. Xanatos had a new computer put into my room, but... I have absolutely no idea how to set it up, and everyone else is busy. Fox was on her way to talk with her Dad, so she suggested I ask you since it was so close to nightfall..."

He smiled broadly. "You bet!! I'd love to help! Just lead the way!" He looked over his shoulder at Brooklyn and Broadway. "Save me some breakfast, would you?"

Broadway grinned. "Nah, I'll just bring it to her room for you."

The beaked gargoyle rolled his eyes. "I better bring it. You'll probably eat it on the way."

Angela tried to send a reprimanding look at the second in command, but couldn't help it as an amused smile came to her face. Then she looked at her father who had joined them and was observing them silently. "What are your plans for tonight, father?"

"I will spend some time with Elisa, and then I will come back and we can go on patrol."

Hudson smiled. "Very good, then. Bronx and I will grab a bite to eat and watch some TV." He looked at Lauren. "It was nice seeing you again, lass." He and the garg-beast headed on inside.

Lexington smiled up at her. "Well, let's have a look at your computer!"

Nodding, she started heading inside, the small gargoyle at her side. She noticed that he seemed to stick close to her, and she had a feeling it was out of concern. She supposed she still looked pretty bad, and he was worried about her falling over.

As they were passing by one of the rooms, they unexpectedly heard the sound of Hudson laughing uproariously. Curious, Lexington opened the door to Hudson's sitting room and saw him almost falling out of the chair in laughter.

"Gee, Hudson! What's so funny??"

After taking a few moments to control himself, he looked up at a curious Lauren. "Lass, I dinnae think anyone had it in 'em! But that St. John woman's had it coming for a long time!"

She blinked slowly, and then she turned bright red. "You mean...?"

Chuckling, he indicated the television where they replayed a scene of Nichole St. John approaching Lauren in the cemetery and asking her questions. Then they saw the young woman cry out in rage and slug the offending reporter square in the jaw.

Lexington's jaw dropped and he stared for the span of a few heartbeats before he fell over laughing as well.

Lauren just turned redder.

After a few seconds of both gargoyles laughing, they heard the sound of someone clearing their throat in the doorway behind them. Turning, and trying to get a hold of themselves, they saw a bemused Xanatos and a curious Owen standing in the doorway.

"Okay, I'm curious... what could be funny enough to put _Hudson_ into a state of hysterical laughter?" Xanatos asked, a smirk forming on his face.

Lauren cleared her throat a little, looking at the floor in embarrassment. "Um... The incident between me and Miss St. John in the cemetery was caught on camera by one of the other reporters there, and they're showing it on the news..."

Remembering the incident, Xanatos was only barely able to to restrain himself from joining the two gargoyles in their mirth. "Ah, yes. That was easily the highlight of the day." He cleared his throat, looking at her with a bare trace of reprimand in his expression. "Should you be up and walking around, Lauren?"

For the first time, she sighed a little irritably. "Look, I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine. I'm not made of glass. I've had worse, and I've used crutches before. I can get around without everyone leaning over my shoulder."

Xanatos smiled a little at her apparent desire for independence. "Just thought I'd make sure. I don't want you to overexert yourself, after all." Then he straightened himself slightly. "So, making friends with the gargoyles?"

Lexington smiled up at him. "She asked me to set up her computer for her since everyone was busy at the time."

Her uncle seemed happy to hear this. "Well, carry on, then."

Owen looked at her. "Is there anything you need, Miss Lauren? Perhaps, something to eat?" He sent a somewhat meaningful glance at Mr. Xanatos.

Lauren shook her head. "No, I'm okay..."

David's expression turned a little concerned. "Lauren... you haven't been eating anything but breakfast, and you don't even finish that..."

Blinking, the girl winced, realizing that he was right. She let out a sigh. "I guess you're right. Just... make sure it's something easy on the stomach, please. It's been... a little queasy lately."

Owen gave her a small bow, distracting her from the concerned looks she got from the two present gargoyles. "Very good. I will bring something to your room in just a few moments."

Lexington looked up at her once the majordomo had left. "Well, let's get that computer set up!"

She nodded, a small smile coming to her face. "Okay. Be patient with me, though. I'm computer illiterate."

The small gargoyle nodded and they started out of the room. Xanatos followed them out into the corridors and gave his niece a smile. "If you need anything, I'm be in my office."

She just nodded silently and she and Lexington started for her room.

The second they walked into the door, the small green gargoyle zeroed in on her computer and started looking it over eagerly. Lauren almost smiled at his expression. He looked like a kid in a candy store.

He let out a whistle, examining the computer closely. "Wow!! 500 gig hard drive!! I think I'm actually a little jealous!" He grinned up at her. "This'll just take me a few minutes!" He started attaching wires and components to the back of the tower in a rush.

"Look at him. He's like a kid with a new toy!" came a voice from the doorway. Turning, Lauren saw Brooklyn standing there, a bowl of thick stew in his hand.

Managing a small smile, she decided to sit down on the edge of her bed, leaning her crutches up against the wall within easy reach. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, but her hip was starting to ache from all the walking she'd been doing that day. "If it makes him happy..."

He snorted. "If we didn't go on patrol, he'd never get off _his_ computer."

Lexington turned long enough to make a face at his rookery brother, before turning around to finish his job. Brooklyn set his brother's breakfast on the dresser.

"Where's Broadway?" Lex wanted to know.

Brooklyn barely kept himself from scowling. "He's in the library making kissy faces with Angela before patrol."

Lauren cast a glance at the second in command. Did she detect a hint of jealousy?

The green gargoyle made a noncommittal noise, and then grinned triumphantly as he booted up the computer. "Here we go! I'll just make sure everything is in running order for you now!" He sat in the computer chair and his fingers flew across the keyboard.

Brooklyn sighed a bit. "Well, uh... Guess I'll go see what Hudson is up to," he said, turning to leave the room.

The girl immediately felt bad for the gargoyle. "Hey, why not stick around, Brooklyn? Once Lexington gets the internet running, we might be able to find some videos we could watch until you go on patrol. I should get to know you guys now that I'm living here."

He smiled immediately. "Hey, that sounds good! What kind of video's did you want to watch?"

Lexington snickered from in front of the computer. "Why don't we look up that news clip that Hudson saw earlier? I could watch that over and over without getting bored!"

Brooklyn was immediately curious. "What news clip? Did they catch Castaway?"

He snorted. "I wish, but it's funny as hell. Earlier today Lauren punched out Miss St. John on camera!"

The second in command looked at the suddenly self conscious girl in shock. "You...???" When she nodded a little guiltily, he snorted, trying to hold back his laughter. "Okay, you've got me interested, Lex. If it happened in the afternoon, it should be up by now."

While waiting for the computer to download some files from the internet, Lexington started in on his breakfast, quickly wolfing it down before setting the bowl back on the dresser. Then he hopped in front of the computer just as it finished it's download.

"And we're all set up!!" Lex started typing rapidly once more.

Brooklyn smirked. "Hold on a sec. I'm gonna get Broadway and Angela. They'd love to see this." Before anyone could say anything, he rushed out of the room.

Lauren blinked. "You guys _really_ hate Miss St. John, don't you?"

Lexington hesitated. "Well, it's just that she's constantly harassing the Xanatos' and she's not exactly helping our reputation with her reports." He shrugged as he continued typing. "Not long ago, we wouldn't have cared how much she harassed Xanatos, but since he's turned around from his old ways, we've come to defend him."

She looked at him. "Turned around from his old ways? What do you mean?"

The small gargoyle froze. "Um... a... actually, you should wait before you hear that stuff. I shouldn't have said anything. Past is past, you know? Your uncle will bring you up to date soon enough."

Lauren resisted the urge to question the little gargoyle further, but decided that it might be in her best interests to wait. She was sure her uncle had good reason for holding out on her, and it wouldn't be fair to hear it from anyone but him.

A moment later, Brooklyn came back into the room, Angela and Broadway on his tail.

"So, what's so great that you had to drag us away from the library?" the large gargoyle asked a little irritably.

Lexington grinned and looked over his shoulder. "You won't regret it! Come on, I found a video clip of it!"

Curious, the three gargoyles joined their rookery brother as he played the video.

Seconds later, the three boys were almost falling over from their laughter, while Angela stared at the computer screen in shock. She looked to Lauren, who was blushing in embarrassment once more. The female gargoyle allowed an amused smile to come to her face, which she unsuccessfully tried to cover with her hand.

The boys watched the video over again a few times, before Lexington suggested watching it in slow motion. The viewing sent the gargoyles into fresh gales of laughter.

Angela shook her head, a smile on her face. "What a bunch of hatchlings."

Owen cleared his throat loudly in the open doorway before entering the room, raising an inquisitive eyebrow at the antics of the gargoyles. "I take it Lexington decided to share the video with his rookery brothers?"

Lauren gave him her tiny smile and shrugged a little helplessly. "Well, they seem to be enjoying themselves..."

Casting a glance over to the trio (who seemed to be giggling like immature dolts at the moment), he saw that Lexington was now having the video play frame by frame. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, and handed Lauren a bowl.

"I prepared some fruit salad for you. I hope it is to your liking, Miss Lauren."

The corners of her mouth quirked slightly. "I'm sure it's great, Owen. I wasn't raised to be picky, and I already know you're a terrific cook. Thank you."

"Of course." Owen was successful at keeping his expression neutral, but inwardly Puck beamed at her compliments. He gave her a stiff bow. "If you have need of anything else, just call." Picking up Lexington's discarded bowl from the dresser, he exited the room.

Lauren slowly started eating the salad, which Owen had thankfully not put any dressing on. After spending most of her life eating fast food and microwave dinners, she could easily appreciate the flavors of this simple salad, and the effort the servant had put into making it.

She made sure to eat it slowly and kept herself keenly aware of her stomach's condition, all the while aware that Angela was watching her curiously.

"Your injuries seem to look better than they did last night," she observed gently, trying to strike up a conversation.

Lauren nodded as she swallowed her latest mouthful of food. "Yeah, I'm coming along okay in my recovery, I guess. Owen thinks my bruises should be gone in a couple more days."

She smiled genuinely. "That's wonderful! Maybe once your injuries are healed, one of us can take you for a ride above the city."

The girl shrugged, her tiny smile returning. "That would be fun."

Broadway approached them, a goofy grin on his face. "Well, that definitely made my night! I'm not a fan of violence, but I think Miss St. John definitely had that one coming!" He grinned broadly at Lauren and patted her gently on the shoulder. Then he turned his smile to Angela. "So, wanna get a few more minutes in at the library?"

Smiling shyly, she nodded and bid Lauren, Lexington and Brooklyn a polite farewell as she and her chosen mate sauntered off.

Then Lexington blinked, spotting another video. "Hey, it's another one that humiliates Nichole St. John!" He quickly clicked it, and then Lauren froze as she heard the questioning.

"Lauren Johnson! I'm Nichole St. John with WVRN! How did you survive that horrible attack? Is it true you actually witnessed your father murder your mother?"

While Lexington watched transfixed, Brooklyn stopped paying attention half way through Lauren's tirade against the reporter as he glanced over his shoulder and saw the girls face had gone white and she had her hands fisting the quilt of her bed with a white knuckled grip. The gargoyle quickly grabbed the mouse and shut off the video, much to his brother's surprise.

"Hey, what'd you do that for?!"

Elbowing him, he motioned over to Lauren and Lexington cringed guiltily. He closed the window on the monitor and the two gargoyles approached the obviously distraught young woman.

Lexington rubbed the back of his head guiltily. "Um... sorry. I should have examined it a little closer before playing the video. Fox mentioned that incident to me last night, and I didn't think about it."

She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She forced a smile onto her face. "I'm okay. It was just a shock, is all." She cleared her throat and looked a little apologetically at Brooklyn. "Um... could we maybe watch videos tomorrow night instead? I think I should just finish eating and then go to bed. It's been a _really_ long day."

Brooklyn nodded. "No problem. We'll probably be leaving to go on patrol in a few minutes, anyway." He hesitated for a moment before leading Lexington toward the door. "We'll see you later, Lauren." Then the two gargoyles were gone.

The girl sighed heavily and determinedly returned to eating the fruit salad.

________________________________

Brooklyn and Lexington ran into Owen in the hallway on their way up to the parapets.

The majordomo looked at them inquisitively. "I thought you were watching video's in Miss Lauren's room," he stated dryly.

The small green gargoyle still looked guilty as he rubbed the back of his head. "Um... Well, I kinda found another video humiliating Nichole St. John, but it turns out that... it was from Lauren's first encounter with her and... well..."

Brooklyn sighed. "She didn't take it too well. She was nice and forgiving about it, but..." He shook his head. "She said she just wanted to finish eating that salad you gave her and then turn in for the night."

Although he remained stoic, inwardly Puck was highly annoyed with their lack of foresight. Lauren's first encounter with Nichole St. John had had her on the verge of tears due to the woman's heartless questioning.

"I will see to her, then. Goliath should be returning from his excursions with Detective Maza at any moment now." Upon seeing their silent nods, the servant made his way down the hall once more.

He knocked on Lauren's door and, upon receiving permission to enter, he came in to see her sitting on the edge of her bed. She looked up at him with a smile that looked decidedly forced.

"Hi, Owen. I finished the salad you brought me," she said, indicating the now empty bowl.

That news, at least, brought a small measure of relief to the majordomo. He offered her one of his rare smiles as he nodded to her. Then he put on his stoic expression once more. "Are you well?"

She nodded. "Yeah, no signs so far that it wants to make a come back. I'm doing okay."

He then cleared his throat a little meaningfully. "I ran into Brooklyn and Lexington in the corridor. They told me about the incident with the other video."

Her smile immediately vanished and she took in a steadying breath. "I'm okay. It was just a shock, is all. I guess her cameraman likes to humiliate her as much as the other news stations do, and posted it on the internet himself."

He considered for a moment. "You realize that if you wish to talk to one of us about _anything,_ that you are more than welcome to do so," he said, being careful to emphasize 'anything'.

Lauren looked up at him again, not used to the majordomo emphasizing words. She felt that strange pull in the back of her mind again, that niggling little voice telling her that there was more to the stoic Owen Burnett than she could see. She shook the feeling off.

"I know. And thank you," she said as genuinely as she could. Before she could say anything else, however, a huge yawn came forth, and pain unexpectedly exploded in her jaw. She winced openly and held it in pain.

Owen was at her side immediately. "Miss Lauren, are you...?"

"I'm fine," she said, cutting him off before he could finish. "That one just kinda snuck up on me. I'll take it as a sign that it's definitely time for me to take my pain meds and go to sleep. This was just one seriously long, and stressful day..."

He nodded. "I will tell Mrs. Xanatos that you are ready to go to bed, and..."

She shook her head. "She's with her father right now talking about Cyberbiotics, and it wouldn't be right to bother her about me getting changed..."

He stood firmly on this one. "You should not be straining yourself, Miss Lauren. Your injuries may be healing, but they are still serious enough to be worsened with unnecessary movement."

She wanted to tell him that she was fine again, but could tell from his sterner than usual expression, that this time he was taking a firm stance. She sighed inwardly and decided on a compromise, truly not wanting to interrupt Fox while she was with her father.

"Then how about I just not get changed? It's not going to hurt anything if I just sleep in my street clothes for a night, will it?"

Owen considered, and finding no reason to argue with this compromise, he inclined his head. "Very well, then. As long as you are sure it will not be too uncomfortable for you..."

She rolled her eyes as a small, but thankfully genuine smile came to her face. "My last mattress was older than I am and had more broken springs than I can count. And I slept in my street clothes on a regular basis. Also, with my medication, I'd be able to zonk out on a bed of nails, much less THIS bed. Comfort isn't an issue, believe me."

He gave a nod in response. "Very well, then. I will get you your water, and remain in your room until you have fallen asleep." Taking her now empty bowl, he exited the room. He was only gone for a few minutes before he emerged once more, holding a tall glass of water. Lauren grabbed her packet of pills and popped one in, accepting the water from Owen to wash it down. Then she settled down under the covers of her bed with his assistance, and sighed in relief.

He cleared his throat slightly. "Mr. Xanatos asked me to apologize on his behalf. He has been busier than usual lately, and has had not had the time he wishes he had to spend time with you..."

She shook her head, that shy little smile that Puck was starting to silently regard as cute tugging at the corner of her lips With her now droopy eyes, it made her look adorable. "He's the head of a multi-national corporation, Owen. I know it must take a lot of work to keep it running efficiently, so he has nothing to apologize for." She stifled another yawn. "No one has hit, threatened, screamed at, or intentionally demeaned me since I came here, so I have nothing to complain about." She stretched languidly beneath the covers as she got herself more comfortable. "This is practically paradise." Then she blinked a little sleepily, looking across the room. "The computer! I just noticed it's still on..."

Owen almost smiled. "I will shut it off before I leave."

Nodding sleepily, Lauren's eyes grew too heavy for her to keep them open any longer and they slid shut. Seconds later, she felt the pads of soft fingers gently brush up against her cheek and move to her temple. Then an unfamiliar voice softly cut through the throngs of oncoming sleep.

_"From time of night till time of day,_

_May all night terrors be kept at bay."_

Yup, definitely getting off of those pills tomorrow, was the last thought to run through her mind before she fell under the spell of sleep.

*************************

**Please Read and Review! Hopefully, the next chapter will be up in a week at the latest, but unfortunately, I can't make any promises. Please be patient with me!!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Kay, this chapter's going to be shorter than the other ones. I'm sorry, but things are still hectic around here. **

**I do not own Gargoyles. Only Lauren belongs to me.**

**__________**

The next morning was the same routine. Owen roused her by knocking on the door, and then served her breakfast. This time he made sure it was something less likely to aggravate her stomach... a omelet with a single slice of toast. While she ate, he busied himself, cleaning her shelves and whatnot of the dust apparently only he could see, before he retrieved her mostly eaten breakfast. Right at the time that he was retrieving her plate and organizing the tray, Fox came in once again, ready to help her get changed. The only thing that had changed was that Lauren hadn't taken a painkiller... a fact that Owen noticed, but didn't comment on, much to her relief.

Fox gave her a slightly reprimanding look that was betrayed by a somewhat amused smile when she saw Lauren was still wearing her street clothes from the day before.

The routine went on up until they were seated around the dining room table once again. Lauren was wondering if there were any plans in store for today

Sipping the juice Owen had brought her, she was brought out of her thoughts when her uncle layed down his newspaper and smiled at her. "So, Lauren... how are you feeling this morning?"

She was able to offer him a small, awkward smile. "Pretty good. Just a couple aches in my ribs and my hip."

His smile widened. "That's good to hear. I have a little something for you." He reached into his inner pocket and pulled out an envelope. He slid it across the table to her. As she picked it up, her uncle exchanged a knowing smile with his wife.

Lauren blinked, and slowly opened the envelope. Peering inside, her jaw dropped as she saw a thick wad of cash. "Holy sh-." She stopped herself, mindful of Alexander's presence. "Um... Wow..."

He smirked slightly. "I've decided to open an account for you. Every month I will deposit $5000 dollars in it, but I figured you'd like to have spending money during your first month here. I will get a debit card issued in your name tomorrow. After all, a teenage girl like you must have a list of things she would WANT for herself, and I thought it only fair that you have the opportunity to get them."

The girl immediately turned bright red. She had never thought she would ever hold this much money, much less have it for herself! The knowledge that she was now rich sent an alien feeling through her. She offered him a small thanking smile. "I don't know what to say, except... thank you."

He smiled back. "You're welcome. And, seeing as how my business today is all pretty much straight forward and not a mile long, I'll have Owen chauffeur you around and help you with some shopping... If that's what you'd like to do, that is..."

Lauren fidgeted a little uneasily. "I'd love to do some shopping, but with the press..." The thought of facing Nichole St. John a third time in as many days made her really uncomfortable.

Fox spoke up then, bouncing Alexander on her lap gently. "The press shouldn't be much of a problem today. Last night the gargoyles stopped a Quarrymen attack on a PIT group gathering in Central Park. All the press are focusing on that this morning, talking to the witnesses and such."

The teenager perked up a little. "Did they catch Castaway?"

Xanatos shook his head. "He wasn't there for the attack. He just had a look-alike. But they did get a few higher-ups in the organization, and the police are questioning them. If you went shopping today, the most you'd probably encounter would be one or two reporters, and I'm sure Owen can deter them for you easily."

She thought about it for a couple moments, and then nodded a little shyly.

Owen inclined his head to her. "We can leave at any time, Miss Lauren."

Hearing this, the girl quickly finished off her drink and offered him a small smile. "Okay, let's go."

__________

She was seated up front beside Owen once more as he pulled out of the underground garage. "Where would you like to go first, Miss Lauren?"

She considered for a moment. "Somewhere that I can get a stereo and some CDs."

He nodded. "Very good."

About fifteen minutes later, the servant pulled the car up in front of a store, and then went with her inside. The first thing she did was make a b-line to the stereo systems, and started browsing. After a few moments of consideration, she realized something and shook her head, a little smile coming to her face.

"I don't believe this... I've got five thousand dollars, and I'm STILL comparing prices. Having lots of money's going to take some getting used to." She indicated one of the boxes containing a stereo with all the features she wanted, noted the price was $560 dollars, and forced herself to ignore the fact as Owen calmly came forward and placed it in the cart he was pushing for her.

Then she went over to the CDs and started browsing through them as well, simply handing the ones she wanted over to Owen. The majordomo accepted them wordlessly and placed them in the cart.

She was examining a heavy metal CD, when she heard the voice off to her left.

"Lauren? Is that you?"

Turning a little curiously, she blinked and suppressed a sigh when she saw one of her former school mates walking up to her. Owen stiffened immediately but Lauren quickly gestured that it was okay.

The boy approached. He was pretty cute by most girls standards. He had dark brown hair and green eyes, and the fact that he was the captain of her school's football team had ensured his placement as the most popular boy there.

He almost smiled, but then winced as he took in her now fading injuries. "Damn... I heard what happened on the news. Your old man really did a number on you, didn't he?"

Lauren sighed heavily, getting more than annoyed with the press. "I'm sure everyone in New York knows what happened by now, even though they got some of the details screwed up. And just for the record, in spite of what you've heard from the media, he was _not_ my biological father, all right?" She was barely able to keep her voice even.

Owen cleared his throat slightly, his expression showing just a tinge of curiosity.

The girl smiled a little tightly and cleared her throat. "Owen, this is Kevin Norbert, a boy from my old school. Kevin, this is Owen Burnett, David Xanatos' personal assistant."

Owen nodded to him in his usual stiff manner, his features completely neutral once more. Kevin gave him a casual nod of greeting and then turned his attention back to Lauren.

Kevin leaned against a display casually. "So, how're you doing?"

She shrugged, keeping her face almost as neutral as Owen's. "As good as can be expected."

He snickered. "I saw your encounter with Nichole St. John, too. No woman deserved it more."

She cast a half glance in his direction. "I suppose all of New York knows about THAT encounter too, now. I shouldn't be surprised."

The boy ran his hand through his hair. "Um, listen... I know I didn't really know you in school or anything, but... I'd like to change that. I didn't take the time to get to know you when I had a chance to, so... do you wanna go out sometime? Maybe when you're healed up and feeling up to it?"

Owen's eyes narrowed by a barely perceptible margin, and his frown deepened by half a millimeter. He noticed Lauren stopped what she was doing and turned to face the boy, her expression a little less than pleased.

She seemed to think for a moment, before settling on what she was going to say. She seemed to hesitate for a second, casting a quick look at Owen, before plunging on in.

"Kevin... first of all, the issue about you not knowing me has absolutely nothing to do with _you_ not taking the time to get to know me in school. It has to do with ME deliberately avoiding anything even remotely resembling friendships or relationships, thus the reason you never saw me hanging around with any other students. It's called self- induced isolation, and any efforts you might have made to be my friend or more would have been completely in vain. Second of all, now that I am starting to live a decent, healthy, non-violent life with the Xanatos', I would really just prefer to cut off all ties I had with my old life and move on."

He blinked. "So... that's it? You're using the attack as justification in not giving anyone who admired you in school a chance to know you?"

She sighed, this time showing more than just a bit of irritation. "Kevin, I'm trying to be unbelievably nice about this..."

"Nice how? You won't even give me a chance!" he made a poor effort to look emotionally hurt. Puck rolled his eyes in disgust.

Lauren didn't bother hiding it when she rolled hers, however. "I know enough about you to not _want_ to give you a chance! Just because I never talked to you or hung out with you doesn't mean I don't know what you're really like! Believe me, when the girls get together in the change rooms, they talk up a storm, and ninety percent of the time, the conversations revolved around you in some way or another. I'm really not interested in a guy who's only romantic interests lie in cheerleaders with large tits and no brains, or in the students who are well off financially. I think, Kevin, that the only reason you approached me just now, and offered to take me out, is because you and everyone else now knows that David Xanatos is my uncle. And, quite frankly, I think your treatment of women is lacking."

He stared at her. "You think I only want to date you because you've got money now? And what about my treatment of women? How is that lacking?"

She didn't even bat an eye. "Does the name Lisa Murray mean anything to you? I know why she had to spend that week in the hospital, Kevin. A word to the wise... Back alley abortionists aren't a viable option to seeing a licensed doctor, at least not if you're honestly concerned about her health, rather than your own ass. Now get lost. I'm through talking with you."

He tried again. "Lauren, I..."

Owen made it a point to sternly clear his throat and fixed the boy with a look. He made it perfectly clear that he was here both as a servant and as a protector to the girl. Kevin looked at the majordomo's height and build before deciding it wasn't worth the trouble. He made a hasty retreat.

Lauren shook her head in disgust and continued browsing through the CDs. "I sincerely hope I don't have to keep putting up with stuff like that. I was perfectly content to stay single and blend into the background, and I really don't want to have to beat off boys with a stick just because it's public knowledge that I've got money now."

Owen let his lips quirk slightly. "I doubt it would be merely due to your new wealth, Miss Lauren. I am sure there are those who appreciate your looks as well as your intellect and personality as well." He chose his words with great care. "But I am reasonably sure that Mr. Xanatos will be more than happy to warn off any prospective males, regardless of intention, unless you ask him to do otherwise. He is rather protective of his family."

Lauren glanced back at him, her eyes a little wide, and then quickly returned to what she had been doing before. Was that a small blush he had seen coming to her cheeks?

"I think that's the first time anyone even insinuated that I was in any way attractive," she muttered. Owen heard it, however, even though he decided it best not to comment.

Picking up a few more CDs, she made her way to the paycheck counter, Owen right on her heels. She payed for her purchases and they headed back out to the limo once again.

They didn't notice the three figures dressed in trenchcoats watching them. One of them pointed, the fingers resembling metallic claws.

"There she is. David Xanatos' niece."

The figure beside him nodded, a harsh feminine voice coming from the shadows beneath the hat. "So let's just grab her and make our demands already! If we don't get those repairs done, I'm going to go insane!"

"Patience, dear sister. We'll nab her soon, but remember to contain your bloodlust. We do need her alive, after all. And I say that to you BOTH," he said, casting a knowing look at the tallest of them.

Wolf snorted. "I don't need to take orders from you clowns. You want repairs, I want money. So let's just nab her and do this."

Watching as the limo pulled away from the curb and started off down the street, the three of them exchanged a few looks, nodded and moved to follow.

__________

"And where would you like to go to next, Miss Lauren?"

The girl smiled a little. "A book store sounds like it would be a good plan." She hadn't seen even a glimpse of the press since she'd started this outing and it made her feel far more relaxed.

He nodded stoically. "Very well. There's a large book store not far from here, and..."

Owen was unexpectedly cut off when a large figure in a trench coat landed on the hood of the car, causing the servant to swerve in surprise. The hat the figure was wearing came off and revealed a furry, wolf like face. Seeing this, the majordomo turned the wheel hard and caused the beast to fly off of the now dented hood and they wound up crashing into the brick wall of an alleyway.

Lauren had let out a scream upon seeing the strange creature and was currently holding a hand over her heart, trying to get her heart rate to a level at least resembling normal. "WHAT WAS THAT THING?!"

"Wolf," Owen said, his expression now less than pleased. Before Lauren could question him he looked at her. "Can you run? The limo is too damaged to be of use now!"

Lauren did a quick consideration of how her hip was feeling before she saw two more figures drop from the buildings and decided she would be fine.

"I'm good to run! Let's go!" she said, not bothering to hide the fact that she was quickly becoming scared.

Leaving her crutches right where they were, she let Owen drag her out of his door and, ignoring the pain in her hips, ran right along with him, never letting go of his hand. She was a little surprised when he reached inside his jacket and pulled out a gun. He led her further into the alleyway, probably not wanting the fight to take place where there were more people who could get hurt.

It seemed that a foot came from out of nowhere and knocked the gun right out of his hand. Turning and placing himself between Lauren and the attackers, he faced off against the two new enemies. They now had their jackets off and, looking at them now, Lauren thought there was something strangely familiar about them both.

But how could she have seen them before? The both of them looked as if they were half human, half machine!

Before she could contemplate the matter any further, she felt an imposing presence right behind her. She didn't have time to react before she was bodily picked up. Crying out in both pain and in terror, she found herself being held over the furry shoulder of the wolf man.

Owen turned in alarm. "Miss Lauren!" He moved toward them, before suddenly finding himself trapped in a net made with a metallic material. He was helpless as an electrical current suddenly assailed his body and he lost consciousness.

"No!! Owen!!" Lauren was terrified now. The thought had never occurred to her that she would be a target for kidnapping... especially not by people like these guys!

The woman cyborg stepped up to the now helpless Owen, rubbing her metallic fingers together. The sound they made was chilling. "Let's take out the stiff before we're on our way, shall we?"

Lauren was about to cry out in alarm when the man held the woman back. "Control yourself, sister. If you kill him... who will deliver our demands?" He dropped a piece of paper beside Owen and chuckled. "Now, let's get going before the police show up."

Helpless in the strong hold of the wolf man, Lauren was carted away.

__________

**I'll try to make the next chapter a little longer, but I can't make any promises. Please review and tell me what you think!!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's Chapter Six of Lauren. Please note that I do not own Gargoyles, only my title Character.**

**___________**

Elisa Maza and Matt Bluestone pulled up beside the wrecked limo and jumped out, guns drawn as they took in their surroundings. Looking down the alley, Matt let out a shout as he saw someone trapped within a net and he and his partner raced forward.

Their eyes widened as they drew nearer and recognized the man who was currently restrained.

"Oh my God.... Owen!" Elisa quickly pulled the metallic netting off of the man, and helped him to his feet. "Are you okay? What happened?!"

The man frowned deeply as he unconsciously brushed off his clothes. "It was what is left of the Pack. Wolf, Hyena, and Jackal. They have taken Miss Lauren." He held up the note Jackal had dropped beside him. "It seems that the siblings want Mr. Xanatos to provide repairs, while Wolf merely wants another chance to fight Goliath. Mr. Xanatos has until sunrise to meet their demands."

Elisa frowned. "I don't like the thought of Xanatos giving those two nut cases any help, or letting Wolf take another crack at Goliath. But on the other hand, I don't want to think of what they'll do to Lauren if he doesn't."

He nodded stiffly, adjusted his glasses and then pulled out his cell phone. Dialing a few numbers, he spoke into it. "Mr. Xanatos, we have a problem."

___________

Her kidnappers brought her to an old run down building by the docks, depositing her in a large cage in an interior room. The beast that had been carrying her simply tossed her inside and she let out a cry of pain at the landing.

The beast smirked slightly as he looked at her. "What's the matter? Can't deal with a little pain? I'd be more than happy to put you out of your misery." He licked his chops. "You look good enough to eat."

Lauren's eyes went enormous, wondering wildly if he meant that sexually or seriously, and didn't know which possibility disturbed her more.

The woman came up beside the wolf man and clinked her fingers together in that chilling manner. "Heheh. What's the matter? Is the Wolf-Man scaring you? I know I wouldn't mind giving you a few cuts myself just for the hell of it!"

The girl was now pressed into a corner, her eyes wide as she took the two of them in. They both took a step toward her, but the male cyborg pulled them back.

"Wolf, sister, need I remind you that we can't make our demands without a hostage?" he asked, sounding more than a little annoyed.

The woman snarled and glared at him. "Don't push me, brother! I owe Xanatos some payback!"

"And I'm hungry, Jackal!"

Lauren's eyes went enormous as it clicked into place for her. "Wolf? Jackal?" She looked at the woman and her jaw dropped as she finally recognized her. "And Hyena! You guys are from The Pack!!"

The woman smirked. "So, you finally recognize us, do you?"

She could only stare in shock. "Oh my God.... what did you _do_ to yourselves?"

Jackal snorted. "We merely took up your uncle on his offer for an upgrade of our choice. Wolf-Man here simply decided to take a different sort of upgrade than we did... having his DNA altered, while my dear sister and I opted to have cybernetic implants."

She stared at them in shock. "You mean... David Xanatos did this to you?"

Hyena laughed harshly. "Boy, I have a feeling your dear uncle David didn't bring you up to date on a lot of things, did he? I think you're going to have to have a little chat with him! And yes, he _did_ offer to do it and yes, he did do it for us."

Lauren shook her head in shock. Even if what they said was true and her uncle had given them the offer, she couldn't imagine anyone in their right mind willfully doing this to their own bodies. Someone would have to be completely nuts to have their bodies riddled with cybernetic machines or having their humanity ripped from them genetically.

She opened her mouth but then shut it again, shaking her head mentally. She stopped herself before she could stupidly say _I can't believe I used to have a crush on you,_ to Jackal. Given the fact that he seemed to be the only one even remotely concerned with her immediate well being, for whatever selfish reasons, she didn't want to risk that he would use that statement as an excuse to rape her. Obviously, he and his sister were both absolutely nuts. And if she had to hazard a guess, she figured that whatever genetic changes Wolf had undergone had caused his mind to go to a more primitive state. So she had to be _very _ careful what she said or what she did if she wanted to get out of this in once piece.

"What exactly do you want from my uncle? And what.... what are you going to do to me if you _don't_ get it?" she asked, most hesitant about knowing the answer to the last question.

Jackal smirked at her. "My sister and I have been having a few... issues with our accessories, and Wolf just wants a rematch with Goliath."

She stared at them. "You guys know the gargoyles?"

Hyena let out one of her harsh laughs. "Are you kidding? _They're _the ones who had us thrown into prison in the first place! I want to have another crack at them myself!" Her grin turned psychotic. "And if your dear old uncle doesn't deliver..." she chuckled and rubbed her metallic fingers together again. "... then there won't be much left of _you._"

Wolf went to Hyena's side as he let out a chuckle of his own. He revealed his claws to Lauren and grinned. "Make sure you leave enough of her for me, Hyena. I'm hungry."

Jackal let out an aggravated sigh. "I can see _I'm _ going to have to be the one watching her, or we won't have a hostage at all."

Lauren didn't like the thought of having _any_ of them keeping an eye on her, but she guessed Jackal was better than Hyena or Wolf. She just decided to sit quietly in the corner of her cell as Jackal pushed the other two out of the room and made himself comfortable in a chair outside the now locked door.

___________

Elisa and Matt gave Owen a lift back to the Aerie Building and joined him to speak with Xanatos and Fox inside.

Xanatos did _not_ look happy at all. "Owen... tell me what happened!"

Owen went into detail about the events surrounding Lauren's kidnapping and then sighed as he got to the end of his narrative. "Unfortunately, the metallic netting must have had traces of iron within its make up because I was unable to revert to my normal form. Otherwise I would have been able to prevent the kidnapping from taking place. I give you my most profound apologies for this failure, sir."

The CEO sighed. "It's not your fault, Owen. We just have to find a way to fix this situation and get Lauren back home safe and unharmed." He cleared his throat slightly. "What were their demands?"

Owen wordlessly handed over the slip of paper that had been left with him and Xanatos frowned looking at it. "Hmm... While I don't think Goliath would mind a rematch with Wolf, I will not arrange any repairs for those two after what they did."

Elisa frowned deeply at him. "You mean you would consider it if they _hadn't _kidnapped her?"

He smiled at her. "I didn't say that, detective. However, we do have a limited time frame to come up with and execute a workable plan."

Matt frowned. "How long did they give you to comply with their demands?"

Owen looked at him. "If their demands are not met by sunrise, they will kill Miss Lauren."

Elisa scowled. "Just great." She frowned, thinking for a moment. "How long until sunset?"

Fox looked at her watch. "Three hours." Then she moaned. "I hate this! Both Hyena and Jackal are sociopaths, and since Wolf had himself mutated, his own state of mind is questionable. Lauren must be terrified! We should have known something like this was going to happen!"

Xanatos frowned. "We won't make that mistake again. When we get her back, we'll sit her down and come clean on my past exploits."

___________

Lauren had been sitting quietly in her corner on the floor for the past few hours, alternating between glancing at the now cybernetic Jackal who was looking bored sitting in his chair, to glancing at a window and trying to guage how long it would be before the sun went down. She was ignoring the ache in her hip as she started taking in her surroundings a little more critically, trying to determine what tactics her uncle and the gargoyles could use in rescuing her. And if there were any ways she could anonymously help them to do so.

The window was an obvious entry way. It was high up off the ground, but for a gargoyle it would be easy to gain entrance to the room from the outside. The window was outside of her cage, unfortunately, but it didn't really matter. There was no way she herself would have been able to crawl out of it anyway. From the size of the window, she had a feeling that if they were to use it as an entry, either Lexington, Brooklyn or Angela would use it. There was no way Broadway, Goliath or Hudson would ever fit through a space that small.

The room had been gutted except for the cage (which had probably been placed there by the Pack themselves), the chair Jackal was sitting on, and... She blinked, looking above Jackal.

Right above Jackal was a wooden shelf, held up by metallic supports jutting out at an angle from the wall, holding a pile of neatly stacked bricks. They had probably been left there years ago by construction crews. The supports looked sturdy enough, but Lauren thought that if she used her power, she might be able to break one of the supports and send the load crashing on top of the Pack member. She didn't know how badly that would hurt him, but surely it would be great for a distraction at the very least.

"I read about you in the newspapers," Jackal said, breaking the silence and making Lauren jump slightly. "Is it true you killed your father?"

Lauren felt herself becoming annoyed again. "You would think that, being a former celebrity, you would know to not believe everything you hear or read. The press screwed some of the details up. He was my step-father, and yes, I did."

He turned to look at her, and she felt a shiver race down her spine as she took in his cybernetic eye. "Strange. Looking at you, I would never have pegged you as a killer."

She sighed a little irritably. "It's called self defense. If I hadn't killed him, he would have killed me."

He smirked. "I can respect that. I can't tell you how many times I've toyed with the idea of offing my old man."

_Definitely a sociopath,_ she thought uneasily. She decided it would be best to change the subject. "How long until sunset?"

He shrugged. "About an hour. Why?"

She allowed a small smile to come to her face. "Oh, just wondering how long it will be before the gargoyles and my uncle come to rescue me."

He frowned at her now. "And what makes you think they'll come at all?"

She frowned right back. "One of two things are going to happen. One, my uncle will give in to your demands, and Wolf wanted a rematch with Goliath. So if that happens, they're coming. Two, my uncle _doesn't _give in to your demands and they just come here to get me out of here and smack you around. Either way, they'll be here."

Jackal smirked. "Maybe you're right. But the question is... can they rescue you before I kill you?"

Lauren didn't answer. Because truthfully, she was wondering that herself.

___________

Immediately upon awakening, the Gargoyles were informed of the days events.

Brooklyn scowled. "Great. Like the kid hasn't been through enough with her former home life, now she's in the hands of those lunatics."

Angela looked very concerned while Lexington looked as if he was ready to jump into action, eager to take another crack at the Pack. "We have to do something!" they said as one.

Goliath frowned, thinking for a moment. Then he looked at their benefactor. "Xanatos... do you know where they are?"

The billionaire looked at the ransom note and nodded. "They're in an abandoned warehouse down by the docks. They have the address written down here. I can easily have my satellite systems give us a detailed aerial view of the building, and I'm sure Owen can find the necessary blueprints detailing the design of the building."

Goliath nodded. "Do it. We'll come up with a plan to ensure Lauren is brought back unharmed."

Elisa nodded. "We don't have much time. Let's get to work."

___________

**Okay, it'll probably be about a week or so before the next chapter is uploaded, so please be patient with me! And tell me what you think!! Review please!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay.... so it's been longer than a week....**

**WAY longer than a week. I would like to offer my apologies for the long wait, but things around here are only getting worse (various family members health is coming into question, including my father who's going in for surgery on October 14****th****) and I've been stressed to the max. It may sound like I'm making excuses, but things around here are absolutely nuts and I'm actually surprised I got THIS update out to you. Now... moving on...**

**A question from one of my readers concerned why I have not mentioned Owen's stone hand. Well, if you've ever read Christine Morgan's works, she makes a good point. Owen periodically cares for Alexander, and naturally, a stone hand would, not only get in the way, but could be potentially dangerous to the baby as well. So, I think that Puck would make an exception to not interfering with Owen's human existence and use his magical abilities to remove the stone hand, enabling him to safely care for the boy.**

**Ok, question is answered, and now... on to the disclaimer:**

**I do not own Gargoyles or any of the characters within, save for my own, Lauren.**

**************

The room Lauren was situated in was much dimmer than before, telling her that night had fallen. The only source of light came from the light fixture overhead, and the red light that came from Jackals cybernetic eye. Seeing the glow it was giving off in the dim lighting, it made the Pack member look all the more sinister.

She suppressed a sigh and leaned her head against the wall. She was actually getting hungry, and the ache in her hip was getting worse. It also wasn't helping things that her leg was starting to cramp up. Hoping to alleviate some of her discomfort, she shifted her position. Jackal glanced at her, and then resumed looking bored.

Lauren couldn't be sure, but she guessed that the sun had been down for a couple of hours now, and she hoped that the gargoyles would be coming soon. She was tired, hungry, and the room had a strange smell that she figured was going to cling to her for days.

"It's getting late," Jackal said, breaking the silence. "Maybe they're not coming after all."

"They'll be here," she said with certainty. There wasn't a chance that they wouldn't be here, she knew. There was no way a man like David Xanatos would take this sitting down.

And neither would the gargoyles.

He shrugged. "Maybe. But if they do come, you'd better hope for your sake that it's to comply with our demands. As I said earlier, we need repairs."

She almost snorted indignantly. "If I was you, I'd ask him to _remove_ those implants, but that's just me."

Jackal didn't hold back as he snorted, however. "Right. That would be a _downgrade_. Not exactly what we want, little girl."

She rolled her eyes. "You're human, not a hard drive. The two are not exactly compatible, which would probably explain why you're having issues with your... devices."

He smirked. "We're compatible enough. Before my dear sister and I got our upgrade, the gargoyles were all too capable of defeating us with little effort. But now..." he chuckled. "Now we have the means to give them a _real_ challenge."

"I thought your implants were giving you trouble?"

He shrugged. "They're still workable enough to take on a worthy opponent."

Before Lauren could reply to this, they heard a crash and an inhuman roar come from behind the closed door. Jackal got to his feet immediately, but didn't move from his location. Lauren was quickly on her feet as well, ignoring the cramp that immediately flared up in her hip.

"It sounds like Goliath has just decided to make his entrance," he said, a frown on his face as he stared at the door.

"And he's not the only one!" came a voice from the window. Whirling now, Jackal saw Brooklyn make his way in, his eyes glowing furiously in the darkened room.

Jackal immediately lifted his arm toward Lauren, fingers pointing straight at her, as Lexington came in right behind his rookery brother. He looked even more so angry than the first gargoyle. "STOP! Make one more move and she dies!"

The two of them growled loudly hearing this, and Lauren realized this was probably going to be her only chance. She shut her eyes tight and quickly concentrated. The second she heard the sound of straining metal, she threw herself to the floor and covered her head, ignoring the shooting pain it caused in her hip. A loud crash and cry of pain later, she opened her eyes and sighed in relief, seeing that her power had worked. She resisted the urge to smile. She _knew_ it had been the medications! She couldn't have stopped taking them at a better time!

Brooklyn blinked. "Wow, that was lucky..." Then he was at her cage and quickly pried the bars apart. "Are you okay?!"

She climbed to her feet and quickly moved to join him and the small green gargoyle. "I am now!"

Frowning at the door and the sounds of battle behind it, the second in command frowned. "We'd better take the window outta here. Hop on my back!"

She immediately complied and couldn't help but watch a little transfixed as he used his claws to scale the wall. Lexington waited until they were near the top of the window before starting up after them. However, in that instant, the bricks moved as Jackal made his way to his feet once more.

"You're not going anywhere!"

The technical wizard of the group frowned. "Brook, get her outta here! I'll hold off Jackal!"

He simply nodded to his rookery brother. "Okay, but be careful, Lex!" Brooklyn jumped to the ground on the outside of the building, using his wings to slow their descent.

"Where are the others?" Lauren asked.

"Don't worry, they're around. Damn! When Owen told us what happened, we just about..." He was cut off when something slammed into them, sending Lauren flying one way and Brooklyn the other. Even though the distance to the ground wasn't far, she landed awkwardly and gave a cry of pain.

"Heh, you're pathetic!" said a dreadfully familiar voice. Looking up with a start, Lauren saw Hyena only six feet from her, rubbing her metallic claws together sadistically. The grin she had on her face was nothing short of psychotic. "Like I said earlier... no compliance with our demands, means no more little Lauren!" She positioned herself as if to lunge at her. Lauren, knowing she would never be able to move quickly enough, could only watch wide eyed.

Before the cyborg could move, however, a laser blast struck the woman in the back from above. Hyena did a face plant as Lauren looked up in confusion. What she saw both stunned and elated her.

Hovering in the air was her uncle, clad in a red and grey metallic armor that was modeled after a gargoyle. He had his arm extended toward the Pack member, a dangerous frown on his face.

"That's my niece you're threatening, Hyena. Don't forget... I made you what you are, and I know the weaknesses of your design."

Hyena slowly lifted her head, her eyebrow twitching. "You... bastard!" Then she fell unconscious, much to Lauren's relief.

David Xanatos set himself down on the ground in front of Lauren, his expression concerned. "Lauren, are you...?"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Lauren had picked herself up off the ground and flung herself into his arms, relief flooding through her. His metallic arms immediately wrapped around her and held her back. He breathed an immense sigh of relief.

"Lauren... when we get back home... there's some things we need to talk about. I..."

Before Xanatos could finish his sentence, the wall to the left of them exploded outward. Before Lauren knew what was happening, her uncle was holding her securely in his arms and she was hovering above the scene of the fight. Brooklyn was making his way out of the water now, and Goliath and Wolf were engaged in a fierce fight. In fact, the cause of the wall exploding outward had been the large gargoyle being thrown through it by his opponent.

Xanatos took a moment to look at Lauren, seemingly uninterested in the fight taking place below. "Did they hurt you?"

She shook her head. "All I have is a few extra bruises from their rough handling, but nothing major."

He seemed very relieved to hear this. Then they heard Goliath give off a bone chilling roar as he flung Wolf through the wall, making a second hole in the building. He immediately shot in after the former Pack member.

Then Lexington came charging out of the building, Jackal right on his tail. The cyborg reached forward with his arm and it extended toward him as if it was a metallic coil, wrapping around the small gargoyle with a vice like grip. The green gargoyle cried out in pain.

Hudson made his grand entrance then, swooping in seemingly out of nowhere. He gave a mighty swing of his sword and severed the appendage that was wrapped around Lexington. Broadway and Angela appeared, quickly helping to unwrap their rookery brother as the old gargoyle squared off against the cyborg. Brooklyn went to join him.

Once Lexington was free, and seemed to be okay, the other three gargoyles were there as well. Jackal growled and then bit back a curse when Goliath emerged from the building once more, Wolf unconscious and securely 'tied' with a long metal pipe.

"You haven't seen the last of me!" he shouted, as he turned to make a hasty retreat. He only got two steps, however, when Bronx arrived on the scene, knocking the Pack member flat on his back. Broadway took immediate advantage of this to race forward and deliver a bone crushing punch to his face, effectively knocking him out.

Once the gargoyles had the twins secured, Xanatos looked at Lauren again. "Well. What do you say we head home?"

She gave him a tired but relieved smile. "I think that's a great idea."

Xanatos waited patiently as the gargoyles left the Pack in plain view for the police, scaled the building, and together they headed back to the Aerie Building.

**********

When they got back home, Fox and Owen were both waiting for them on the parapets. And both of them looked relieved to see Lauren was safe. As Xanatos touched down and set Lauren on her feet gently, Fox immediately came forward and gave her a hug. Owen approached as well, a little hesitant, as he handed her a new set of crutches.

"Oh, I'm so relieved you're all right!" Fox was saying. "When I was told that those nut cases kidnapped you, I just about had a heart attack!"

Lauren smiled a little sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head. "Well, I guess I don't need to ask why you're not in contact with _them_ anymore..."

Owen subtly cleared his throat as Fox pulled away and looked at Lauren with some regret. "Miss Lauren, I can not apologize enough for my failure to protect you. My actions were nothing short of..."

She shook her head, cutting him off. "Owen, you did everything you could to keep me safe. I'm not going to blame you for what happened, so don't you dare finish that sentence. I'm home, I'm fine, so let's just put this behind us and move on."

His bare smile was enough to let her know he was relieved to hear this. "As you wish, Miss Lauren."

"However," she now said pointedly as she turned to her uncle. Her arms crossed and a somewhat stern expression came to her face. "We do need to talk. The Pack told me that you were responsible for making them the way they are."

Xanatos, for the first time in a _very_ long time, felt like fidgeting like a nervous teenager under her look. He sighed. "Lauren. There are things that I've done in the past that I am not proud of. In fact, if I was able to, I would go back and reverse them, but unfortunately that's not possible. We were hoping to have you better settled in before telling you, but after today, I can see that was a mistake. So, let's all go inside and we'll talk."

She allowed a small smile to come to her face. "Sounds good." Deciding sleep could wait, Lauren let them lead her inside the castle. All of them went into one of the sitting rooms, Owen ensuring Lauren had a comfortable spot to sit.

They then went into all of Xanatos' past exploits, including how the Gargoyles wound up on Manhattan in the first place. But, although they mentioned magic (which she seemed to have an immediate interest in), they left out all mention of the Children of Oberon for the time being. After all, as much as Puck wanted to reveal himself to the girl, it was a lot for her to take in one sitting as it was!

When they finished the telling, ending with the forming of the Quarrymen and the gargoyles return to their ancestral home, Lauren just sat there quietly contemplating what she'd heard.

Xanatos was hesitant for a moment. "Lauren?"

She took in a deep breath. "I won't lie to you. I find some of the things you did to be absolutely horrific... especially when it comes to Elisa's brother, Derrik and the rest of the mutates. And the way you treated the gargoyles was inexcusable."

Her uncle's expression turned strained as he opened his mouth to talk. Owen just stood off to the side, his expression completely void as he looked at the girl.

"However," she said, cutting Xanatos off from whatever it was he had been about to say. "You're taking steps to repair the damage you've done, and are working hard to make amends to the gargoyles. So... I guess I can overlook the things you've done before." She let a small smile come to her face. "Past is past, right?"

The CEO let out a sigh of huge relief and he smiled at his niece. "I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear that."

Lauren looked at them all. "And... even though I have a weird feeling that you guys left a lot unsaid, I think I've heard more than enough for tonight." She looked at Owen. "If it's not too much trouble, could you please make me another one of those salads? I need to eat something, and then I'm planning on going to sleep."

He inclined his head to her slightly, a small smile on his face. "It is no trouble at all, Miss Lauren. I will have it brought to your room in a few minutes."

Angela smiled at Lauren. "Would you mind if I walked you to your room?"

The girl knew that the gargoyle was probably worried that she was in pain and trying to hide it, and while that _was_ true, it wasn't to the extent that she probably thought it was. "Sure."

Lauren got to her feet, utilizing her crutches as she hobbled out of the room, Angela right behind her. Broadway told her that he'd wait for her in the library and set off toward that room.

Angela looked at her as they walked. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She looked at the gargoyle. She had her wings draped across her shoulders and it almost looked as if it was a cape. "You mean the kidnapping? Yeah, I'm fine. It was a hell of a shock to see them that way, and to find out what Jackal and Hyena are _really _like, but they didn't hurt me."

Angela seemed satisfied with her answer and didn't press her on the issue. They entered her room, closing the door behind them. Then, for the first time, Angela helped her dress for bed, frowning when she saw the now fading injuries that still adorned Lauren from Craig's attack. Owen knocked just as Lauren was finished preparing herself for her bed and Angela answered the door, politely excusing herself and wishing the human girl a good night as she went off to meet up with Broadway.

Owen formally handed her the bowl of salad. "Your lunch, Miss Lauren."

She couldn't help but smile again. She just found something about his stiff posture and formal speech both amusing and somewhat endearing. "Thank you, Owen." She immediately started to dig in.

As usual, Owen stayed in the room with her, busying himself with his dusting. Lauren said nothing to him as she ate, her expression still contemplative. However, the silence had a slight heaviness to it this time, as if one of them wanted to talk, but was unsure of what to say.

Owen decided to risk it and break the silence. "Are you all right, Miss Lauren? I know that Mr. Xanatos' past exploits must have come as a shock to you."

Lauren looked at him and then gave a small shrug. "I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't surprised to hear everything he did before, but... as I said earlier: past is past. I'm not going to judge him for what he did now that he's taking steps to repair the damage. The thing that shocked me the most was how the gargoyles came to New York in the first place. Frozen in stone for a thousand years by a magic spell." She shook her head and her expression turned inward. "So... magic is real..."

The way she said those last four words made Owen stop what he was doing and he regarded her steadily. His Puck side was leaning forward eagerly, hoping this was the time she would willingly reveal her abilities to him.

"Miss Lauren? Is there something on your mind?"

Lauren looked up at him, her expression now showing indecision. Then she seemed to shake something off and shook her head, a small smile coming to her face. "It's nothing." She looked down at her now empty bowl and handed it to Owen. "I should get some sleep now. I've had a little too much excitement for one day, I think."

Puck gave a massive sigh of disappointment, but he supposed that it was best for now. The woman had more than enough to deal with as it was without learning about the Children Of Oberon. It could wait for another day. It wasn't as if her powers were going anywhere.

He was about to say something in response to this, when someone knocked and Fox stuck her head into the door. "Hey, hon! Let's get you changed.......," she said, then blinked, taking her her already pajama clad form. "Well, it looks like someone beat me to it..." She entered the room anyway and gave Owen a smirk and a nod.

Owen took this to mean he was being excused. He gave a customary bow to both of the ladies and calmly excused himself, planning on heading to Alexander's room to give the boy his nightly magic lessons.

Fox came forward, eyeing the packet of pills on her nightstand. "You haven't been taking your pain killers."

Lauren shook her head. "I really don't need them. I might be a little stiffer tomorrow from all the excitement I had today, but it's nothing I can't handle."

The woman opened her mouth, looking as if she was going to say something, but then simply sighed and shook her head. That amused smile made its way to her lips. "Why do I get the feeling that you won't listen to me if I try to argue?"

She smiled and shrugged. "I guess it's the Xanatos in me."

Fox laughed and looked at her. "David'll talk to Elisa and see if we can get the things you got on your shopping spree today. Since the limo was impounded, your stuff was pretty much thrown into an evidence locker down at the precinct. And since that shopping spree was cut short, you're going out again tomorrow, but this time you're going to have the rest of us with you, just in case."

Lauren looked a little concerned. "Isn't that cutting into Uncle David's schedule?"

She waved it off. "There's not much planned for tomorrow business-wise anyway. Besides, when it comes to David he always puts family first and..." Then she paused and looked at the girl, her expression showing surprise. "You called him _Uncle_ David."

The younger woman blinked and then shrugged again, a small smile coming to her face. "I guess I did." Her smile grew by a fraction of an inch. "I guess I'm getting used to the idea that my family is larger than I thought it was. Before the attack, I didn't know I had any family other than Mom and _him._ Well.... there's Grandma Johnson, but I saw her last five years ago, and she didn't even recognize her own son and I doubt she's going to be around much longer."

Fox smiled at her gently. "I think that's enough talk for tonight. You've had a LONG day, and you're already up far later than you usually are."

Lauren nodded, suppressing a yawn unsuccessfully. "That I am." She pulled back the blankets and settled herself under the covers. Laying down, she was suddenly feeling absolutely exhausted after today's adventure. Not to mention all the revelations her Uncle and the Gargoyles had given her.

Fox simply gave her a quiet 'goodnight Lauren' as she shut off the light to her room and left, quietly closing the door behind her.

She layed there for several long moments thinking. It wasn't her uncles past schemings she was thinking about, at least not directly. The foremost thought on her mind, was that magic was, indeed, real.

She had first discovered her abilities when she was ten, when she was once again forced to watch her mother getting beaten by Craig, and she herself had been thrown across the room in her efforts to stop him. Her rage had come to a head and she had screamed at the top of her lungs trying to get the man to stop his attack, and the television had, quite seriously, exploded.

Although at the time she hadn't realized it was her (and she was too relieved at the time to think on the matter since it _had_ made him stop, even if it was to go off on a tangent about his now busted television), other minor incidents that actually had her mother thinking their house was being inhabited by a poltergeist for a few months, had started to surface as well. It wasn't until, in the privacy of her own bedroom, that she had (only half seriously) tried to consciously move an object with her mind.

She had seriously fallen off of her bed in complete shock when her teddy bear had moved. Even now it scared her, knowing that she had this ability, and not knowing exactly what it was, how she had gotten it, and that she had only a small amount of control. The very thought of her mother and Craig finding out had scared her even more, thinking they might disown her for being some kind of a freak.

Most of her reading had been on paranormal subjects, trying to find an explanation, but although she had found mention on telekinetics, the reports stated that being able to maneuver items over a couple pounds with ones mind was something never before encountered. And that had scared her even more.

But now that she knew magic was _real_... that opened a whole new realm of possibilities for her to consider. Was she some kind of natural born witch or sorceress like in those occult movies she sometimes watched? Or was there another explanation?

She shook her head. It was too late to think about things like this, especially with the day she'd had.

Lauren briefly considered practicing using her abilities now that she was alone, but, feeling her fatigue and remembering that she had used her abilities once very effectively only hours before, she decided it could wait for another time. Even that new ability she had could wait to be controlled. It had probably just been some enormous fluke anyway.

That decided, Lauren closed her eyes and within moments was asleep.

**Okay, I know there wasn't a lot of battle scenes when it came to the Gargoyles and The Pack, but that wasn't my purpose in writing the kidnapping plot in the first place. My intention was to give Xanatos incentive to come clean about his past to Lauren and to get her more enmeshed into the Gargoyles Universe. Also... it just means she's just one step closer to meeting Puck and finding out her own heritage.**

**Please Read and Review!!**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'M BACK! I'm back, I'm back, I'm BAAAAAAACK! XD XD XD**

**(Runs around like a lunatic, kissing every corner of fanfic,net in unbridled glee)**

**Ladies and Gents, my issues are now taken care of, both personal AND computer wise! And I'm FERVENTLY hoping that it stays that way! I have been gone for waaaaaay too long and I was actually experiencing withdrawl symptoms from not being here!**

**Okay, now that I've established that I am, indeed, BACK to STAY (with any amount of luck), let me remind everyone that I do NOT own Gargoyles or any of the characters contained within, except for my OC in this story, Lauren.**

**And, without further adieu... here is the long awaited Chapter 8!**

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Owen woke Lauren several hours later than usual the next morning. While he normally woke her at about eight in the morning, this time he woke her up when it was going on ten.

The usual routine commenced that morning with her breakfast in bed, the servant cleaning the room while she ate, and then Fox's timely arrival to aid her in getting dressed. In spite of her rough handling the day before at the hands of the Pack, Lauren felt better than ever and was able to mostly dress herself. The only thing she needed some assistance with still was her pants.

Lauren couldn't help but notice that morning that the items she had bought the day before were now in her room. She guessed that Mr. Xanatos had had them brought from the police station that morning while she had still been sleeping.

Her uncle wasn't in the dining room that morning, but then she supposed he had long ago gone through his morning routine and was getting some business with his corporation taken care of. She wondered if he still intended on bringing her shopping personally, or if something had come up. Given the size of his corporation, it wouldn't surprise her in the least if something unexpected came up more often than not. She had to wonder how he even found time to sleep between his professional and private life.

Her unasked question was answered not long after she had seated herself at the table and made short work of her usual glass of orange juice. She had just started flipping through the morning newspaper that her uncle had left on the table sometime that morning, ignoring any headlines that had anything to do with herself, when Owen entered the room, David Xanatos right behind him.

"Ah, good morning, Lauren. How are you feeling this morning?" he asked, a bare trace of concern on his face.

She gave him her usual small smile. "Okay. I don't feel any additional aches this morning, so I don't think any real harm was done."

He seemed relieved to hear this. "Excellent. So, does that mean you feel up to a day of shopping again? Or would you prefer to spend your day at home?"

She considered for a moment. While the thought of encountering the press was higher than it had been the day before, knowing that she would have her uncle and godmother with her as well as Owen put her mind at ease somewhat. It seemed as if the enormous hype concerning the death of her parents and her subsequent relocation to the Xanatos' residence was starting to die down somewhat with other recent events taking precedence. For instance, one of the headlines in the newspaper was detailing the arrest of the Pack the night before, and she had a feeling many of the cities reporters would be focusing on that story than on her directly. Besides, from what Lauren could tell, the reporters mostly had only speculation to work with about the capture of the Pack. Most of them were guessing correctly that the Gargoyles had something to do with it, but there was no mention of any kind of kidnapping or of the Xanatos'.

In the end, she decided it would be good for her to get out and have a (hopefully) normal day of shopping. Well... as normal a day as she could have, considering she'd be with the rich and famous family.

"Well, judging from the newspaper today, I'd say that I'm not going to be at the top of the reporters list of people to bother, so I think a day out with you guys would be okay for me."

He smiled broadly. "Great! Fox is just preparing Alexander right now, but she should be finished soon. When she's done, we can head out."

Only minutes later, the former Pack leader entered the room, carrying Alexander in her arms. She looked around the room. "So, are we all ready to head into town?"

Casting a glance at his niece, and receiving an awkward smile accompanied with a shrug, Xanatos turned to his wife and nodded. "It seems that way. Let's be on our way, shall we?"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Ten minutes later they were in another one of Xanatos' limo's and on their way. Lauren was tempted to ask just how many limousines her uncle owned, but decided against it. With how rich he was, she wouldn't be surprised if he had a storage house filled to the brim with them.

Xanatos smiled at her. "All right, my dear. Where would you like to head to first?"

Lauren pursed her lips in thought. "Well, before we were sidetracked by the Pack yesterday, Owen was taking me to a book store. I say we start where we left off."

Fox rose an eyebrow at her. "A book store?"

The teenager blushed a little. "What can I say? I'm a reader."

Her uncle smiled. "Nothing wrong with that. All right then, Owen. Let's get to a book store."

The driver nodded stoically. "Very good, sir."

Within a few moments, they were pulling into the parking lot of the largest book store Lauren had ever seen. She noticed that it was conveniently located only a block away from the University of New York. Had she had the time or the money to do so, she would have come to this place a long time ago.

Once they were inside, Owen had to take special care to keep an eye on the girl, lest she vanish from his sight. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Never had he encountered anyone who seemed so very enthusiastic about the written word. Fox and Xanatos were trailing along as well, the Halfling daughter of Titania stopping long enough to pick up a few children's books for her son. All of them ignored the looks they were getting from the other patrons in the store.

As Lauren was browsing through a selection of books, once again they heard a voice from off to the side... this one female.

"Oh my goodness! Lauren, is that you?"

All of them turned and saw a woman who looked to be in her fifties with a stockier build. She had curly grey hair that still had hints of her old chestnut hair color. She was dressed in a fairly professional and ladylike manner and had a book bag slung over one of her shoulders. Her eyes widened when she saw the fading bruises on the young woman's face.

Lauren blinked. "Mrs. Vernon?" She looked at her escorts who were looking at this new arrival curiously. "She's the Literary Arts teacher at my old school."

Xanatos stepped forward then, extending a hand, a pleasant smile on his face. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Vernon."

The woman immediately turned a little self conscious. "Oh, Goodness. Mr. Xanatos, it is an honor to meet you. Forgive me for my nervousness, but I have never had the opportunity to meet one of such a high social standing as yourself."

He waved it off. "Please. There is nothing to forgive, and no need to be nervous. In fact, let me introduce you to my wife, Fox, our son, Alexander, and my personal assistant, Owen Burnett."

The woman was trying to contain her excitement as the introductions were made and the hands were shook. She smiled at Fox and her son warmly.

"Oh, my son is going to be sorry he didn't come with me today. I can't get that boy to pick up a book for the life of me, but now he's missing out on meeting one of his favorite celebrities!"

Fox laughed. "Well, I guess that's one way to give your son incentive to read. It's a pleasure."

The woman then turned her attention to Lauren once again, her expression turning a little concerned. "Oh, Lauren. I was your teacher for three years, and I should have known that something was..."

The teenager was shaking her head already, cutting the teacher off. "Mrs. Vernon, don't. You couldn't have known. And besides, I had you thoroughly convinced that I was the biggest klutz on the face of the planet, and that my family life had nothing to do with it. So don't start blaming yourself."

The woman looked like she wanted to object, but then thought better of it. She took a deep breath and smiled at the girl standing before her. "Well. There is a faint silver lining to this all. You are now free of that disgusting brute of a step-father, and the world is your oyster."

Xanatos spoke up then, curious in spite of himself. "Excuse me, Mrs. Vernon? How did you know that it was her _step_ father that was responsible? All the newspaper articles that I've seen described the perpetrator as her biological father."

The woman waved it off somewhat as Lauren turned a little red. "Oh, Lauren and I would visit at lunch time in my classroom, chatting mostly about books and such, but the topic sometimes took a slightly different route. Whenever the subject of her family came up, she would always take care to remind me that she had never met her real father." She seemed to shake something off. "Oh, but look at me, holding you up when you're trying to shop." She put a hand on Lauren's shoulder. "I'll leave you with this... Just a few moments ago, I saw a brand new book written by Jeffrey Robbins. It's at the end of this aisle, if I recall correctly."

Lauren's expression went from mildly embarrassed to elated. "Really? He wrote a _new_ book? Thanks for the tip, Mrs. Vernon! I'll talk with you later!" She was off, Fox quickly moving to ensure the girl stayed in her sight.

Xanatos exchanged a quick look with his assistant and then smiled at the school teacher. "Mrs. Vernon, may I please have a moment of your time?"

Plainly curious, the woman nodded. "Of course, Mr. Xanatos. How can I help you?"

"I'm curious if you have experience teaching the other core subjects?"

She nodded. "Yes, I've taught them all at some point or another in my life, but my big love is the written word. I've been a teacher since I was twenty five years old. Why do you ask?"

Owen spoke up for the first time. "Miss Lauren is unsure at what grade level she is when it comes to most of her school subjects, due to her tendency to be absent from school in the past. Mr. Xanatos has arranged to have her evaluated due to this, but we have not yet attempted to find a tutor for her."

The woman's eyes widened significantly. "Oh, goodness! Are you asking me if I...?"

"Lauren seems to trust you," Xanatos said then. "And from what I understand, she never had long drawn out conversations with anybody else in her school except for yourself. We want her to be as comfortable as possible in our home. She has more interest in continuing her education with a one on one tutor rather than being thrown back into the public education system. And it would make sense to have her taught by someone she already knows and trusts, rather than hiring a complete stranger."

The woman considered for a moment then. "Well, I understand about her not interacting with others at school... In the few years I've known her, the longest conversation she's had with another student was asking if she could borrow a pencil. But..." She sighed. "I still have the rest of this term to worry about, upcoming testing schedules..."

Xanatos smiled at her. "I'm sure the school could find an adequate replacement to do those things for you. And let me assure you, Mrs. Vernon... the pay you would receive tutoring my niece would be far more than you get working in the public education system." He took out a cheque book and wrote a figure on it, handing it to the indecisive woman. "You can consider this a down payment. Any supplies you require would be provided by me at your request."

When the woman's hand flew to her mouth upon receiving the piece of paper, the billionaire could almost see her mind working overtime. The down payment would undoubtedly pay off any debts she may owe and start paving the way for her son's college education when the time came.

She composed herself and cleared her throat. "Alright, Mr. Xanatos. You've convinced me. However, I will need a week to get my affairs in order and allow the school the necessary time to find a replacement teacher."

He nodded easily. "Fair enough. We need to get her education evaluated before you can begin, anyway. And, I apologize if you find this to be harsh, but as standard procedure I need to do a thorough background check on you."

She waved it off. "I understand, but prepare to be bored to tears. My life is anything but eventful, unless you want to include dodging spit-balls in classrooms."

He laughed. "Well, I promise you, you won't need to dodge them for much longer, Mrs. Vernon. With the amount I'll pay you to do this job, you should be able to comfortably retire, should you choose to do so."

The woman almost looked overwhelmed at the thought of it all. "Oh my goodness... I run to the book store, and am provided with the biggest opportunity of my life... Thank you, Mr. Xanatos. You are a wonderful man, truly!"

Xanatos nodded to her. "The pleasure was mine. Owen will obtain your personal information so we can keep in touch. I better catch up with my niece before she gets lost in this store with my wife."

She laughed. "Of course. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Xanatos."

He gave her a polite nod and was on his way to hunt down his niece and his wife.

When he found them over in the next isle, he couldn't help but be amused when he saw Lauren trying to carry an armful of books while still using her crutches, and his wife with an armful of her own. Alexander was standing on his own two feet and looking curiously from his mother to his cousin, but keeping quiet.

He stepped up to his niece and took the books from her. "Here, let me give you a hand before you keel over."

The girl turned a little red, and that small smile came to her face. "Sorry, guess I'm going a little nuts in here..."

Her uncle laughed. "Don't be sorry. The whole point of this outing is for you to have a good time." Then he looked at the books. "All of these are by Jeffrey Robbins. Now why is that name familiar?"

Fox smiled. "He's friends with Hudson. He goes to visit with him from time to time."

Lauren looked up then, her eyes wide. "Hudson _knows_ Jeffrey Robbins?"

Xanatos seemed to have a slight epiphany. "Ah, yes. The one who helped him when MacBeth was after the Scrolls of Merlin."

Lauren rose an eyebrow critically. "MacBeth?"

Fox waved it off. "We'll explain later. He _used_ to be an enemy to the gargoyles, but now he's one of their strongest supporters."

Her uncle cleared his throat, and decided to change the subject. "So, is there anything else in here catching your eye?"

The girl gave him a look that plainly told him she knew he was deliberately changing the subject, but she let the matter lie... for now anyway. "I think I've got all I need. These books should keep me occupied for a week or so..."

Fox rolled her eyes as Owen approached, sticking a writing pad into his inner pocket. "If you finish all those in a week, I'll be _very_ surprised."

The majordomo wordlessly took the armful of books from his employer and stood off to the side, awaiting what was happening next.

"Well, I guess we're heading out then. Let's get these items paid for and head back out to the limo."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

They went to an electronics store next, Lauren wanting to get an MP3 player, and a video game system since she had never owned either of those items before in her life. After also purchasing a few games to go with her new system, they headed on back to the Aerie building.

Xanatos immediately retreated to his office to get prepared for a meeting he was scheduled to have that evening, and Fox had to discuss more business matters with her father, leaving Owen to help the teenager get her things into her room. Of course, when he said "help" he really meant "I'll do everything for you." So this left Lauren, feeling as awkward as all hell, while her uncle's servant wordlessly hauled all her bags into the room. She had to wonder if he ever got annoyed doing all this work for other people... It was his_ job_, but still...

Owen finished bringing the bags into the room and didn't look even the slightest bit winded from the ordeal. "Is there anything else you require, Miss Lauren?"

She gave him her little smile and shook her head. "No, thank you. I'm just going to get started on Robbins' latest book until the sun goes down."

He nodded. "Very well. If you have need of anything, I trust you remember how to get into contact with me?"

She nodded. "Star 82 on my phone."

"Correct." He gave her a small bow. "I will see you later, Miss Lauren." He exited the room, closing the door behind him.

So Lauren picked up _The Sword and the Staff_ and eagerly started to read.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

**Hehehe. Not the most eventful chapter, I'll grant you, but at least it's an update. Don't worry though... I promise you the next chapter is going to be longer and **_**much**_** more eventful than this last one.**

**Also if any of you are curious to know my interpretation of what Lauren looks like, then go to deviant art dot com. If you go to my profile on this site I have the address of it there that'll take you directly to my page on deviant art. You'll see Lauren, and for those of you who are fans of my Slight Problem story, you'll see pictures of Natalie and Lisa as well.**

**The address is close to the top of my profile, so just copy and paste and have a good time, and please... review both here and on DA.**

**It's GOOD TO BE BACK!**

**Later, everyone!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay, everyone! Here's a chapter I've been looking forward to writing for a long time... It's something I know you all have been waiting for... Lauren and Puck FINALLY meet for the first time!**

**Here's Chapter 9!**

**As I'm sure you all know, I do not own Gargoyles.**

**0o0o0o0o0**

The next couple of days passed by rather quickly and without incident. Of course, the moment the trio learned about her new gaming system, all of them wanted to check it out, and so she spent the next two nights taking turns playing with them on the gaming system. It was the cause of some humorous bickering between the three of them.

Her next session with Doctor Gordon brought no more insight into her feelings towards her mother, or the other issues that he seemed to want to address. Of course, she had said nothing about the gargoyles, or of her encounter with the Pack.

She was also introduced to Fox's father, Halcyon Renard, and his assistant, Preston Vogel. Lauren couldn't really help but raise an eyebrow when she had seen Mr. Vogel. The similarities between him and Owen were almost uncanny, except Vogel had dark hair and wore bow ties. And while their personalities and mannerisms seemed to be very similar, Renard's assistant seemed to be missing an underlying sense of humor that Owen possessed.

Halcyon had greeted her warmly, taking her hand in one of his gnarled ones as he offered her a smile. "You may not be my own flesh and blood, Lauren, but you are still family."

She couldn't help but turn a little red upon hearing this, but she had been very touched by the old man's words.

Lauren also stopped using her crutches. The pain was still noticeable, but she got sick of walking around like she was some sort of cripple. Nobody made any comments about that, deciding that if she could handle the pain and it made her feel more comfortable, then they should just leave it be.

She was currently standing on the top of one of the parapets, visiting with the trio. The day had been very hot, and the heat had been trapped inside the castle by its thick stone walls. All four decided it was just a little too uncomfortable to spend the night inside.

Broadway looked at Lauren. "It's good to see that you're looking much better. You can hardly see any bruises anymore."

She nodded. "Thankfully. I was getting sick of all the stares when I went out in public."

Brooklyn nodded. "I can imagine that wouldn't be very comfortable."

She barely held herself back from scowling. "It was awkward as all hell. But at least I haven't had any reporters bothering me lately."

Lexington snickered. "I dunno... If Nichole St. John bothered you again, at least we could always look forward to another possible left hook..."

She rolled her eyes while the brown beaked gargoyle snorted, trying to hold back a laugh. "Careful, Lex... You're making me want to watch the video again."

The little green gargoyle stuck out his tongue playfully and then slapped a talon to his forehead. "Oh, nuts! I forgot tonight is the night of my weekly update on my computer!" He gave them a quick wave. "I'll talk with you guys later! See ya!" He jumped off the parapet and glided down without another word.

Broadway rolled his eyes. "While he's doing _that_, I should go see Angela. I promised her I'd spend some time in the atrium with her tonight." He gave them a wave himself. "I'll catch up with you guys later." He jumped off the parapet just as Lexington had seconds before and entered the castle.

From where Lauren stood, she could see her uncle visiting with Goliath and Owen down in the courtyard. Elisa had stopped by a little earlier that night, but had had to go due to her work.

Lauren looked at her watch and guessed the gargoyles would be going on their nightly patrol in about an hour. She was about to ask Brooklyn if he had anything in mind for them to do until that time, but when she looked at him, she saw his head was tilted to the side as though he was listening to something intently.

"What's up?" she asked curiously.

He frowned slightly. "I hear a helicopter approaching. Is Xanatos expecting company tonight?"

The girl blinked, hearing the sound now herself. It was definitely coming closer. "Not that I know of, but it's not like he tells me everything..." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the two humans and one gargoyle down below had stopped what they were doing and seemed to be listening themselves.

The helicopter suddenly came into view, but before either the girl or the beaked gargoyle at her side could get a look at it, a spotlight suddenly shone from it, blinding them. Lauren heard a shout from the courtyard...

"Quarrymen!"

Then the ground beneath her seemed to lift up with a deafening bang and she was flung over the side of the castle, with nothing but air between her and the city streets 128 stories below her. She let out a terrified scream, her arms and legs flailing, desperately reaching out for anything to stop her rapid descent. Then she felt two strong arms catch her bridal style and she found herself in the hold of Brooklyn who was, thankfully, unharmed from the explosion.

Lauren let out a massive sigh of relief. "Oh, thank GOD! Brook, I could kiss you!"

He cast a quick glance over his shoulder and let out a curse. "Don't thank me yet! We've got company!"

Turning her head to look over his shoulder, she saw a masked Quarryman in hot pursuit of them, mounted on some sort of hover-vehicle and pointing a weapon at them both. The girl's eyes widened.

_He wouldn't right? I mean... he just saw Brooklyn SAVE me! Plus he's carrying me right now!_

Her unasked question was answered when a laser beam shot out from the gun, barely missing them both. Lauren cringed and her eyes went enormous.

Brooklyn snarled. "It figures! I've gotta get us back up to the castle so I can set you down! Hold on!" He caught an updraft, dodging the shots from the Quarryman on their tail.

The gargoyle managed to get them back up to the castle, but the man hunting them was relentless. It was obvious that stopping for any length of time was _not_ a good idea. The agile creature holding her was dodging madly, making her perception of the situation a little skewed. She had caught only the barest of glimpses of the other Gargoyles in battle with their own opponents. She had no idea where her uncle was, but she had a feeling he was somewhere nearby.

Brooklyn suddenly jerked slightly and let out a howl of pain as the laser struck one of his wings. He and Lauren immediately plummeted to the castle, the gargoyle shifting his hold on her so he would absorb the impact. He held the young woman up tight against him as he slammed into a pile of rubble on the ground below. Lauren was jarred to the teeth at the landing, but didn't feel any pain, fortunately.

Heart pounding, the girl climbed from on top of the barely conscious gargoyle.

"Oh, God! Brooklyn, say something!" she said desperately, her heart pounding.

His eyes opened slightly. "Lauren... get out of here..."

She opened her mouth to say something, when a voice rang out from behind her.

"Girl, move out of my way now!"

She turned, but made sure to keep her position between the voice and Brooklyn, and laid her eyes on their pursuer. As all the Quarrymen she had seen in photo's, this one was donning a hood reminiscent of the ones used by the KKK, only dark in color. He had put his gun away and was now holding a large, electrically charged hammer in his hand.

She felt her anger coming to the surface. "You asshole! You almost killed us BOTH!"

He held the hammer up higher. "The only reason I don't kill you where you stand is because I know who you are and am giving you the benefit of the doubt, girl! These monsters are evil and must be destroyed at _any_ cost!"

"Lauren... go..." Brooklyn said from behind her, trying to get up to no avail. She ignored him and stood her ground

"How can you say that when this one just _saved my life?_" she snarled. "You and your friends are the cowards who hide behind those masks and attack the gargoyles just because you don't understand them!" Lauren felt a strange stirring within her... the same stirring she had felt the night of the attack. While a small voice was whispering worriedly in the back of her mind about this development, she was too angry to care at the moment. "As far as I'm concerned, the only _monsters_ here are _you!"_

She saw his eyes narrow through the slits of his hood. "Last warning, girl. Move or I will kill _you_ as well!"

Lauren frowned deeply now, and she felt the stirrings within her increasing. She realized that this man was reminding her of Craig... His pompous attitude, the tone to his voice... everything about him simply screamed Craig.

She thought she heard her uncle and Owen both calling her, but she ignored them, too entrenched in the moment to care.

When she first started to speak, her voice was low and dangerous, but quickly gained volume. "I lived with Craig's abuse for 17 years. I watched him beat my mother almost on a regular basis and all I did was take the hits for her. I never did anything to stop him." She saw the man's eye go wide beneath his mask and she didn't realize that it was because her eyes had started to glow green. "I stood by... and did _nothing." _ A slight wind started to pick up, seemingly emanating from the girl herself. Then the green glow started forming above the surface of her skin like an aura. "_And I won't just stand by anymore!"_

All eyes were immediately on Lauren when a green aura seemed to explode around her, her eyes now pupil-free and glowing brightly. Her long hair flailed about her, her ears had turned pointed, and strange, blue markings seemed to form around her eyes. And her expression was one of deep rage.

Xanatos stared. "What... the...?"

He was shocked when he heard his assistant curse at his side. "Not good."

Before the billionaire could ask Owen what was going on, several boulders started lifting off the ground around his niece, encircling her and the injured gargoyle. One of them flew forward and knocked the Quarryman facing her flying. His electrical hammer was lost from his hold and stayed behind.

Puck watched the scene unfold in trepidation. While he had been wanting to see Lauren's abilities for himself, this was _not_ the way he had wanted it to happen. While the girl was aware of her abilities, her lack of control made the Fay very nervous.

Several hammers were thrown her way, but the flying boulders sent them harmlessly away from their intended target.

One of the Quarrymen screamed for them to pull out and they made a dash for the helicopter. As they all climbed inside, obviously deciding that the gargoyles could wait for the time being, Lauren's hand slowly raised toward the flying contraption. Her eyes appeared blank, as though she was in a trance, the green light emanating seemingly from her pores.

A burst of green light shot from her palm and slammed into the retreating helicopter, sending it into a wild spin. Seconds later, the inhabitants of the flying vehicle jumped out and used parachutes to slow their long descent to the streets below. The helicopter, however, dropped down to the street below, exploding with a bang that reached even their high altitude.

It was a few long seconds before the green light surrounding Lauren faded and she returned to normal. Her eyes cleared and she took in a rasping gasp of air. Then she looked around herself, seeing everyone, human and gargoyle, looking at her in complete shock. It was only then that she realized what it was she had done, and a cold fear replaced her rage. Brooklyn had worked his way up to his knees as he looked at her.

"Lauren...?"

Her gaze shot to the beaked gargoyle for the span of a few seconds. Tears started welling in her eyes now, and she shook her head.

"I'M SORRY!" She cried out, before she bolted into the castle.

"LAUREN! WAIT!" she heard her uncle call out, but she didn't stop. She had to get away from there... away from the stares, away from her uncle... She had to get out of the building. Barely noticing when she almost bowled a confused Fox and Alexander over, the teenager quickly made her way to the nearest exit.

**0o0o0o0o0**

"What the hell was _that?"_ Lexington asked the second Lauren had shot off.

Xanatos immediately turned to his assistant. "Owen?"

The man cleared his throat slightly and composed himself. "Miss Lauren is a Halfling, Mr. Xanatos. Just like your wife, Fox. However, unlike Fox, she seems to have been aware of her abilities for some time now."

The billionaire's eyes narrowed. "You mean you _knew_ about this?"

Before the bespeckled man could answer, a voice came from the left.

"Who was the babe with the power?"

Turning, all of them saw a native-American man who looked like a young Peter Maza, dressed in a leather jacket and a pair of faded blue jeans.

Goliath stepped forward then. "Coyote. What are you doing here?"

The Child of Oberon raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right? We felt that magical burst all the way from Avalon! Lord Oberon sent me to check what was going on. That girl's packing some serious heat."

Xanatos came forward then, just as Fox entered the scene holding Alexander in her arms. "What's going on? Lauren almost bowled us over trying to get out! She looked scared to death!"

Xanatos sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I barely have any idea myself, Fox..." Then he straightened himself once more and looked at Coyote. "And to answer your question, that girl is my niece."

Coyote gave him a look that was both wary and surprised. "You married a Halfling, and now you've got a _niece_ who's one?"

Fox blinked, looking at the new arrival. "Lauren is a Halfling?"

Owen nodded then, clearing his throat. "Yes. I have known from the moment I first saw her, but felt it best not to bring it to anybody's attention until I had investigated the issue further. Miss Lauren is aware of her abilities, but does not seem to know how far they go or the reason why she has them. She appeared to lose control defending the gargoyles from the Quarrymen."

Fox blinked. "There was a Quarryman attack?" Then she shook her head. "Okay, look. I don't know what's going on, exactly, but what I _do_ know is that Lauren just raced out of here and she was scared out of her mind! Obviously, she has even less of an idea of what happened than we do, so someone has to find her and talk to her before she does something drastic!"

Brooklyn nodded from where he was currently being supported by Broadway. "Yeah, she was scared, all right. She probably thinks she'll be disowned or something..."

Xanatos looked as if he was about to say something when his cell phone rang. He quickly answered it, fighting from biting off the head of whoever was calling him. He just listened for a few long seconds and nodded to himself.

"Thanks, we'll take care of it." He hung up and cursed. "Lauren's out of the Aerie Building now. She just raced out the front doors, knocking back the security guard in the process."

"We should try and find her." Angela said, looking to her father.

Goliath nodded in agreement. "Yes. Hudson, stay here with Bronx and Brooklyn. The rest of us will search for Lauren."

Owen stepped forward then. "Mr. Xanatos, may I have your permission to...?"

He nodded before his assistant could finish asking. "Permission granted." He said, knowing exactly what was about to be asked. Owen flared brightly, immediately reverting to Puck. "Just please find her, Puck."

He nodded, his expression serious. "I will." He was about to start off when Coyote took his hand.

"Hold up there, Cousin. You're not going anywhere without _me!_ This is way too interesting for me to pass up..."

Puck nodded, though just a tinge of his mischief returned to his expression. "Okay, and I'll explain what's going on as we go." He gave a quick salute to the humans and gargoyles still present. "Later." The two Children of Oberon shot off into the air. Moments later, the gargoyles were air borne as well.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Twenty minutes later, Coyote looked at Puck. "So let me get this straight... She never met her father, she grew up with her mother and an asshole step-dad who beat the hell out of them both until last week when Lauren wound up killing him in self defence... THEN she found out she was related to David Xanatos and was sent to live with you guys up at the castle?"

"Yup. I sensed her power from the second I first saw her, and saw her practicing using telekinesis when she was alone in her room. I think it was her magic that allowed her to fend off Craig as well."

Coyote frowned thoughtfully. "Well, that would explain why her powers are as developed as they are... even without any training." Then he looked around at the city-scape down below them. "Hey, exactly how do we go about finding her, anyway? I mean, she's just one girl and it's a big city."

Puck shook his head. "I'm thinking about that! There's only two places I can think of where she might go..." He frowned a little. "I think I know where she might be headed. Come on!"

**0o0o0o0o0**

Moments later, the two Fay were hidden in the branches of a large elm tree in the cemetery, not far from the fresh graves of Craig and Elaine Johnson. Coyote looked around himself in distaste. "Are you sure she wouldn't go some place a little _less_ depressing?"

He shook his head. "The two possibilities were her old home, which was badly trashed by Craig, or the cemetery. If she doesn't show up at one of those two places then I have no idea where she..." He trailed off, his eyes catching a flicker of movement. "There she is!" he whispered, pointing.

Looking along with him, Coyote saw the same platinum blonde woman he had seen earlier, this time running between the graves and coming in their direction. She slowed as she reached their area of the cemetery and started examining the tombstones she passed. Then she stopped in front of the two fresh graves of her mother and step-father.

She stopped in front of the graves, standing between them. Her eyes went from one grave marker to the other. Then, without warning, her hand flew forward, her eyes flared a brilliant green, and she let out a loud cry. Craig's tombstone was instantly reduced to little more than a pile of sand. Lauren fell to her knees and starting sobbing uncontrollably.

About thirty seconds passed before Coyote shook his head. "Cuz, I just can't sit back and watch a woman crying like that..."

Puck nodded. "I know. I'll change back into Owen and we'll go talk to her. Just let me do the majority of the talking."

**0o0o0o0o0**

Lauren didn't even hear the footsteps. One minute she was down on her knees crying, and the next moment, she felt a hand drop onto her shoulder.

"Lauren?" The girl recognized the voice instantly and her head jerked up in surprise.

"Owen?" The man was knelt on the ground beside her, another man standing just a few feet off to her left. This new man looked to be a very handsome native. The girl shook her head. "How did you find me?"

He allowed his lips to quirk a little. "It was merely an educated guess."

She cast another look toward the handsome stranger who was just standing there and watching them both quietly. "Who's he?"

"A friend," Own said gently, one of his hands coming up to brush away her tears. He cast a look at the pile of dust that was once Mr. Johnson's tombstone. "Well, I think this marker looks far better now, actually..."

She immediately turned her gaze downward and seemed to fidget uneasily. "Um... about that... And about what happened at the castle..."

He shook his head. "You don't have to explain anything, Lauren. I've known about your abilities from the moment I met you."

Her eyes went wide now and she shook her head. "B-but... How? I've never told _anyone_ about them before!"

He considered, casting a quick glance at his companion before nodding to himself.

"Lauren... you were correct when you guessed that Mr. Xanatos was still keeping things left unsaid. He kept silent about those issues because he felt you were overwhelmed as it was, especially after learning of his past exploits." He seemed to pause before he slowly started speaking again. "There is something I need to show you. Once I have, Coyote and I will sit with you and talk."

She blinked in confusion, casting a glance at the native once more. "Coyote?"

Owen gave her one of his rare smiles. "All will be explained in a moment. No matter what you see, don't be afraid. Neither one of us is going to hurt you."

More than just a little confused and curious now, Lauren nodded. The man named Coyote stepped forward to crouch down just a little behind her. Owen got to his feet and walked a few paces away.

He looked at her for a long minute, and then nodded to himself.

Lauren's eyes went enormous when Owen Burnett flared brightly for a few long seconds, and then she found a much different person standing where he had been only seconds ago. The girl took in a startled breath and almost fell backward in shock. She felt a strong set of hands land on her shoulders.

"Easy, it's okay." She heard Coyote whisper softly.

This new man approached her. His hair was as platinum as her own and just as long. His eyes were a light blue and she could swear that in the dim lighting of the cemetery, that they were dancing. His lips were formed in a small smile as he approached her slowly, hands raised to show he didn't intend to hurt her.

His clothes caught her attention too. A tunic that was violet was worn overtop of a red shirt with short sleeves and gold stitched onto the ends. A gold coloured sash went around his waist, he had purple leggings, and red boots that came half up his calves.

But it was his ears that _really_ caught her attention. They were large and pointed, the points reaching up so high that they were even with the top of his head. Before Lauren even realized what she was doing, she was gently prodding the ears with her fingers curiously.

Her eyes went wide when she realized what she was doing. She quickly pulled her hands away and clasped them firmly in her lap, blushing to the roots of her hair. "Sorry," she squeaked out. "I couldn't help it..."

She heard a low chuckle from behind her. "It looks like she likes your ears, Puck."

She blinked and looked up again. "Puck?"

He nodded. "That is my name when I am in my original form. In my human form, I am Owen Burnett."

She blinked now. "Human form? What... what are you?" she asked, trying not to sound rude, but having no easier way of asking.

Lauren's mind was awash with confusion, fascination, and even a little fear, though she was trying to fight off the last sensation before it got the better of her. All she knew so far was that Owen had known from the start that she had her abilities, and then she had watched him transform into a completely different person... A person with large pointed ears and who was dressed like a jester from the dark ages.

A _cute_ person with pointed ears and who's dressed like a jester, she amended mentally.

The native boy, Coyote had shifted his position once more, so he was sitting on the ground beside his friend. The two of them were seated just in front of Lauren.

"Well, we'll start by telling you that there are three different races. Humans, Gargoyles, and _us._ We've gone by many names over the centuries, but the one that seems to be the most widely used right now is Children of Oberon." Puck started off.

Coyote nodded. "We've also been called dark elves, the Fair Folk, so on and so forth."

Her head snapped up, eyes wide. "Wait a minute? You mean... like fairies?"

The native boy shrugged. "Yup, pretty much. Though there are a few among us who are regarded more as Gods than anything else. Odin and Anubis being two primary examples..."

Lauren's eyes went larger. She had read myths and legends surrounding many mythic figures and Gods, and knowing that some, if not _all_, of them existed...

She took in a deep breath and shook her head. "Thank God I'm sitting down right now..." Then she looked at them both. "So... you're saying that... my father was one of you?"

Puck nodded. "That's right. I was actually surprised at just how potent your abilities are. It's rare for a Halfling to discover their abilities at all, but then again..." He sighed and one of his hands was on her shoulder now as he looked at her. "With all the... stress you were under, I shouldn't be surprised that your magic surfaced."

"And you said... that Mr. Xanatos knows about all this?"

Coyote snorted. "Believe me, he knows. He tried kidnapping me to get me to grant him a wish."

Puck sent a halfway apologetic look at his cousin while Lauren pinched the bridge of her nose with a sigh. "Is there anything _else_ that my uncle has done that I'm not aware of?" she asked, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. She had to remind herself that he had changed his ways, and that his kidnapping ploys were (hopefully) now behind him.

Puck grinned at her cheekily. "Probably, but nothing I can think of off the top of my head that would have any bearing on you." Then his smile turned gentle again and she felt his hand go on top of hers. "I know what you're worried about, Lauren. Mr. Xanatos is _not_ upset with you, and neither is anybody else." He considered for a moment. "He was shocked, but not in a bad way. You don't need to be afraid to return to the castle, and you're not in any sort of trouble. There's just a few more things for him to talk to you about, is all."

The native American trickster smirked at her. "So, why don't we head back so we can all have a chat with the others?" He looked around himself. "This place is too depressing to stay here long."

Lauren looked around at their surroundings herself now and let out a sigh when her eyes landed on her mother's tombstone again. She nodded. "I guess I should get back. I did kind of run off without saying anything."

Now it was Puck's turn to smirk. "Yes, you did, but considering your circumstances, I'd say it's understandable." He stood up and helped her to her feet, Coyote quickly doing the same. "So, let's head back then."

Coyote looked at his cousin. "We flying or just teleporting?" he asked, making the woman's head jerk up again.

"Teleporting," Puck answered back casually. "It'd be faster, and I think Lauren's a little overwhelmed as it is without flying at the moment."

He shrugged and nodded. "Okay." Then both he and Puck took one of Lauren's hands in their own, and a moment later, the cemetery was empty once more.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

**Okay, that was chapter 9 and in the next chapter (which will hopefully be up in a week or so) Lauren learns who her REAL father is!**

**Please review and tell me what you think! And if you haven't already, then please check out my deviant art page. You'll find the address in my profile, close to the top!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Yes, I know I haven't updated any of my other stories yet, but this one is just pounding on my creative door and if I didn't get this chapter out, I was going to go insane. I **_**am**_** working on my other stories and the moment I feel satisfied with the content of the latest chapters, I will post them up as well. Please be patient with me, as I am dealing with a fairly busy schedule and don't have nearly as much time as I wish I did to work on my stories.**

**In any event, we all know I don't own Gargoyles. All I own in this story is Lauren.**

**And here is Chapter 10!**

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Almost the instant Lauren suddenly found herself standing in the middle of the courtyard, Fox was there, throwing her arms around the younger woman.

"Oh, thank goodness! Lauren, you're going to make me go prematurely grey at this rate!" She let out a huge sigh of relief.

Then her uncle was there, looking very relieved himself. He pulled Lauren in close as well. "I think I need to work on my timing... I should have brought everything to your attention as soon as you came here but..." He sighed heavily.

Fox looked at her husband. "I'm just going to radio the gargoyles." She rushed inside without another word.

Lauren felt a tug on her shirt and looked down to see Alexander looking up at her. "Auntie Lauwen, awe you like me?"

The girl blinked, not sure how to answer this question, but Puck took the initiative for her. He knelt down to the child's level and gave him a large grin.

"That's right, Alex. You've both got Fey blood within you."

Lauren's eyes went huge now. "Whoa, whoa! _Alex_ is a Halfling too?"

Puck shook his head. "He's only quarter Fey. He gets his blood from Fox, who gets it from Lady Titania."

The woman's head started spinning again. What was with all the names from Shakespearean plays? She was able to understand now why her uncle had wanted to hold off on telling her. Just this information was overwhelming, but combined with everything else... It almost gave the girl a system overload. As if sensing she was about to keel over, Coyote put an arm around her to keep her steady.

"We'll explain everything when the Gargoyles come back," he said, missing the small glare that Puck sent his way.

The Gargoyles all returned within twenty minutes, and they looked relieved to see her. They then led her inside the castle once again, entering a sitting room where Brooklyn was lying on the couch with Hudson fussing over him lightly. Bronx was lying in a corner of the room, looking decidedly bored.

Brooklyn blinked and looked up, smiling in relief immediately. "Hey, you're back!" He pushed himself up with his arms, only to collapse back onto the couch. "Ouch... _my_ back...!"

Hudson scowled. "I told ya ta stop movin'! Just relax until the sun rises! Don't ya be strainin' yourself, lad!"

Lauren immediately felt a small stab of guilt. _He got hurt protecting me._

She came forward, cupped his face and planted a small kiss on the top of his beak. His eyes went huge and he turned a shade redder than his usual coloring.

"Thank you, Brooklyn. I would have become a splatter on the sidewalk if you hadn't caught me."

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, wincing with the movement. "I was just doing my job. Besides, you saved my bacon too, so I'd say we're pretty well even."

Lauren felt someone gently take her hand and start leading her to one of the available seats. Looking up, she saw Puck giving her a mischievous smile as he had her sit down in a chair. The Child of Oberon seated himself on the arm of the chair, so he was right at her side. Coyote was on the other side of the chair, sitting cross legged on the floor. Everyone else seated themselves or stood in various places in the room.

Fox and Xanatos sat on the couch just opposite of Lauren. Her uncle seemed to think hard for a moment, before he just decided to plunge right on in.

This time, they left out _nothing._ They told her about Demona and MacBeth, the Weird Sisters, Avalon, Oberon, Titania, the world tour Goliath, Elisa, Angela and Bronx had gone on and the adventures they had had. They even told her of the attempted kidnapping of Alexander.

When the narrative was finally over, Lauren's head was spinning with all the new information and she was trying to make sure everything was straight in her mind.

"Okay... so now we have two immortals, Demona and the actual historical MacBeth, who were manipulated and conned into doing some work for this Archmage guy by the Weird Sisters. Demona despises humans and now changes into a human during the day because of Puck. We also have a magical island, King Arthur, Gods, Fairies (or Oberon's Children if you prefer), aliens, ancient heroes, ghosts..." She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Holy crap, this is a lot to take in one sitting... I feel like I just stepped into one of Jeffrey Robbins' books!"

Fox smirked. "Well, everything's out on the table now, so at least you don't have to worry about any more surprises from some of David's acquaintances."

Xanatos looked at her. "So, what do you think?"

She took in a deep breath and let it out. "I think it's going to take me a few days to absorb all of this... But at least I don't have to worry about hiding what I can do anymore."

Goliath looked at the clock on the wall. "We should patrol the city for a few hours before the sun rises. After what happened earlier, I doubt the Quarrymen will be causing any more trouble tonight."

All of them, except for Brooklyn, Hudson and Bronx, headed back to the top of the castle once more. On the way, Lexington looked at her.

"Hey, I'm curious about something... When we were rescuing you from the Pack, did you use your powers to make that stack of bricks fall on Jackal?"

She turned a little red and nodded. "The telekinesis is actually the only ability I have that I have full control over. That whole glowing green thing is new to me."

Coyote shrugged from her side. "That's just you manifesting your magic on a much larger scale. Just a little practice will have you up to par."

Xanatos smiled. "Well, she certainly gave us one hell of a show earlier." He looked around the castle and took in all the damage. "I better get some repair crews out here in the morning..."

Fox nodded and looked at Alexander, who was now fighting to stay awake. "Sounds good. And I think I should get little Alex here to his room for a nap."

Broadway grinned. "Well, at least the Quarrymen will think twice before attacking the castle again! I don't think they'll be too eager to come back after Lauren sent them packing!"

"Um, I hate to rain on everyone's parade," Coyote said suddenly, "but you still have one HUGE problem."

Fox looked over at him. "And what's that?"

He rolled his eyes. "You seem to forget that I was sent here by Oberon to find out what the cause of the magical burst was. I have to report back to him and tell him what I learned."

Lexington blinked. "What's the big problem with that?"

Puck cleared his throat a little. "Well, I had suspected something for a while now, and Lauren confirmed it when the Quarrymen attacked. Oberon's going to take a _great_ deal of interest in her because Lord Oberon... is Lauren's biological father."

Lauren whirled in shock. "Who is my _what?_"

Xanatos was immediately shocked and almost looked enraged. "_What?_ You're sure?"

Coyote nodded. "Yup. After that display of power, there's no doubt. Her magic feels FAR too much like Lord Oberon's for it to be coincidence."

Angela almost hesitated before she asked. "And... how is Oberon going to react to hearing this?"

Puck shook his head. "It's hard to know for sure. But if he was willing to try taking Alexander away, when he was not even _related_ to him directly..."

Lauren felt her head start spinning and she put a hand out, finding Broadway as a support. "I think... I need to sit down..."

Xanatos and Puck were beside her in an instant, guiding her to a nearby bench so she could get off her feet.

The billionaire looked at Puck, his features set. "Oberon is _not_ taking Lauren!"

The Fay sighed heavily. "I helped fight against Lord Oberon once already, Mr. X, and was already banished from Avalon eternally. I don't dare stand up against him again, or my punishment would be _far_ worse." He shook his head. "If he comes for her, there's nothing I can do this time."

He growled. "I'll implement the security measures that were in place the last time he attacked us! I'll make sure the Iron Clan is in top working order, ask Renard for assistance..."

Lexington looked at him. "Do you really think there's _time_ for that? And did you fix the force field so it extends underground this time?"

His expression strained now, knowing that the olive-green gargoyle was right. There wasn't enough time to prepare.

Lauren's head jerked up then, and she quickly got to her feet once more, making her way to Coyote.

"Can you hold off when it comes to reporting this to Oberon?" she asked, not bothering to hide the desperation in her voice.

He blinked. "How do you mean?"

"I mean not tell him right away! Look... My brain is still trying to wrap around everything. I just found out that I'm a Halfling who happens to be the daughter of the most powerful being on the planet, and that the moment he finds out that I exist in the first place, that he's probably going to come here and try to whisk me away to a magical island that's located God knows where! I just..." She gave him the most pleading look she could. "Please, Coyote. Just... I need some time to adjust to all this."

The native looked at her for a long moment before letting out a long sigh. He took one of her hands in his gently and looked at her. "I have a few pieces of unfinished business in Arizona that I'll take care of before I return to Avalon. I can give you a few days... no longer than a week."

All of them looked greatly relieved to hear this. It would give Lauren the time she needed to mentally prepare herself for meeting her father for the first time, and it would give her uncle the time he wanted to prepare his defences.

"Thank you," she said gratefully.

He smirked. "No problem. Just prepare yourself."

Xanatos sighed and looked at his assistant's alter ego. "I know you can't help us directly against Oberon again, but if you could help us come up with a strategy that might work better than the last one, I would appreciate it."

Puck put his hands behind his head and grinned cheekily. "Hey, you've got it, Davey-boy!"

His expression flattened. "Don't ever call me that again."

Before Lauren could blink, Puck was dressed in full military gear and was immediately standing straight up with a stiff salute to her uncle. "Yes, sir!"

She stared for a couple seconds before letting out a string of giggles. Then she stopped herself, realized everyone was looking at her wide eyed, quickly turned red, clasped her hands in front of her, and looked downward. "Sorry... "

Puck smirked. "Well, at least _someone_ appreciates my humor..."

Fox spoke up then, her voice a little stunned. "Lauren... you..."

"Laughed." Xanatos finished for her. The two of them exchanged a look.

The former celebrity smiled. "David, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

He smirked. "I believe I am, my dear." He turned his attention back to the trickster. "Puck?"

"Mr. X?"

"I think Owen has been working exceptionally hard this past little while. What do you say to giving him the rest of the night off? I'm sure Lauren has many questions."

He bowed low. "It would be my pleasure."

Coyote sighed. "Well, I should be heading out now. Later everyone!" He gave them all a cocky salute and vanished into a whirlwind.

Goliath looked at Xanatos. "In light of this most recent development, we will remain at the castle to help you prepare, Xanatos."

He nodded. "Thank you."

Puck grinned broadly. "Well, while you guys are doing that..." He extended his hand out toward Lauren. "For this night, I think the two of us will go off somewhere where we can chat. That is... if you're not too tired?"

Lauren shook her head immediately. While she _was_ getting tired, she figured she'd fight it off for now. She did have a lot of questions, and she figured some one on one time with Puck would be a great way to get some answers. Giving him one of her small, shy smiles, she accepted his hand and let him lead her away.

About two minutes into the walk, Lauren noticed that Puck's feet weren't touching the ground. Her eyes widened more than a little.

"Um... you're... floating..."

He blinked, glancing down. "Ah, I didn't even notice. Flying comes as naturally to me as walking and I sometimes lift off without even realizing it." They were on the opposite side of the castle as they had been on before.

The girl hesitated a moment. "Is it... possible for me to learn how to do that?"

He smiled broadly at her. "Oh, of course! It would take you some practice, but you could do it." Then his smile turned into a smirk. "Would you like a quick lesson?"

Her eyes went huge. Then a smile spread across her face... one of the few legitimate smiles the Fey had seen since she had moved in with them. "Are you kidding? I'd be crazy to say no!"

His smirk widened. "Perfect!" His hold on her hand tightened and he lead her to the outer wall of the castle. Releasing her hand for a moment, Puck hovered to the top of the stone wall and offered a Lauren a hand up.

Once she was standing on the wall, having a moment of sheer stupidity, she looked down the other side and an intense feeling of vertigo hit her. Puck quickly caught hold of her arm and pulled her closer to him.

"Oh... my... God, I must be out of my mind..."

"Shhhh..." He smiled at her gently. "Here. Sit for a few minutes. Lean against me and try to calm yourself down." He lowered her so she was sitting on the edge of the wall, and he seated himself beside her. He put one of his arms around her to give her some additional support and used his other arm to coax her head into his shoulder. "Just relax. Breathe deep."

The girl simply did as she was told, trying to keep from turning red at the close contact. Once her heart rate had returned to normal and she was a little more calm, Puck started talking again, his mouth only inches from her ear.

"Now... you remember the feel of the power when you attacked the Quarrymen? Can you call your power out like that again, only on a smaller scale?"

She hesitated. "I don't know. The only times that happened was when I was stressed to the max. I tried doing it once in my room, but it wasn't working then."

He smirked. "Yes, but didn't you think your medications were hindering your abilities?"

Her head whipped around and she stared at him. "How did you know that?"

He shrugged. "I felt your magic spike when you were practicing your telekinetics, and decided to investigate. I turned invisible and phased through the wall so I could observe what was happening."

One of her eyebrows rose up slowly. "Okay... I'll give you points for honesty, but please no more being invisible in my room..." Her head was starting to hurt at the sorts of things Children of Oberon could do, and she wondered just how much of those abilities _she_ shared.

He waved it off. "Now that your secret is out, I have no need to do such things." Then he grinned cheekily. "Well, why don't we see if we can't get you to draw on your power without you needing to blow your pretty little stack?"

Lauren blinked at the "pretty" remark and just nodded with her usual small smile.

"Okay, listen to my instructions carefully, now..."

Puck gave her detailed instructions on how to get to a light meditative state so she could "feel out" her magical energy. He still had his arm around her, both for reassurance that she wasn't going to keel off the side of the building, and to help her relax.

"Now, look for something like a small flame within you. And once you find it, try to draw it out."

She nodded silently, her eyes closed. It took her a few minutes, but she found it. It felt just like he had described... like a small flame. Not entirely sure how to "draw it out", she just mentally reached forward and decided to see if anything would happen.

She felt the magical energy surge to the surface and Puck jumped from beside her.

"Whoa! Pull it back a bit!"

A small whisper of panic was building up in her. "I don't know how!"

He immediately pulled her closer to him and brought his mouth right by her ear. "Shh... Just keep calm and pull away from the flame. If you panic, you'll only lose control. Stay... relaxed."

She forced herself to take in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She focused for a few minutes and then she felt the magic wane and die. She breathed out a massive sigh of relief.

Puck pulled away from her and gave her a broad smile. "Very good first try! Now, _this_ time when you draw it out, don't plunge your hand into the fire, so to speak. Instead, think of it as feeling the heat being given off by the flame, all right?"

She nodded. "Got it." She took in another deep breath, closed her eyes, and started again.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Xanatos looked up to where Lauren and Puck were seated on the edge of the castle. He rose an eyebrow.

"Is it just me, or is Puck _flirting_ with my niece?"

Fox smiled. "I think they're cute together. And I don't hear her objecting..."

He frowned slightly. "Well, with everything she's been through, I don't want her to become overwhelmed..."

"I think that this is just giving her a welcome distraction," she said now. "Besides, Puck has been banished from Avalon for three years now. I'm sure even tricksters get lonely after a while. Alex is only a toddler, and I've only ever displayed any magical ability once. So of course he's going to be interested in her."

Goliath and Hudson were looking right along with the two humans. "I believe Fox is right," said the former. "I imagine Lauren was feeling lonely as well, and in spite of his mercurial nature, I don't believe that Puck would do anything to harm her."

Xanatos looked up at the two for a moment longer before allowing a small smile to come to his own face. He supposed as long as it made them both happy, he had no right to object. He decided it was a matter he would think about later. For now, he had to focus on keeping his niece safe from Oberon.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

This time only the barest green glow emanated from her skin and Puck nodded, satisfied. "It's a little more than necessary for flight, but you'll get the hang of it with some practice. Now, remember... as long as you can _feel_ your magic... you can do just about _anything._ In time, calling your magic like this will become second nature." He took hold of her hand and stood up. "Now, let's get you airborne!"

After giving her the instructions (which consisted of her trying to imagine she was lighter than air) Lauren focused on trying to keep hold of her magic, and doing as Puck told her. A few long moments passed when she felt her feet lift off the ground.

Her eyes snapped open in shock, she lost her concentration, and Puck quickly caught her before she could topple off the edge of the building. She gripped the front of his tunic.

"Sorry, it just sort of surprised me..." she said, turning beet red.

Puck chuckled. "No need to apologize, Lauren. I know you're new to this. I'm a patient teacher, and I promise you that I will _not_ let you fall." She felt his hand on her cheek and she blinked, seeing him smirking at her. "Now, shall we try that one again?"

Trying to fight off her mad blush, she nodded. She closed her eyes for a third time. She felt the Fay holding her hand firmly at her side.

She felt herself lift off once again, but she forced herself to stay focused.

"That's it," Puck said. "Keep with it." A few more seconds passed and he spoke again. "Now, remember that you're safe with me, and open your eyes. Keep yourself relaxed."

Lauren slowly opened her eyes and bit back a gasp when she saw she and Puck were now hovering about ten feet above the castle. He gave her a wide grin as he tightened his hold on her hand. "Now, let's do just a _little_ sightseeing, shall we?"

The Fey pulled her gently and they were off, flying through the night sky.

She was enthralled. She had never, in her life, experienced something even remotely as exhilarating and _liberating_ as this. The feel of the wind, and the open expanse between her and the street below, the feeling that you could go anywhere and do anything that you wanted...

It ended when her world started to sporadically spin. Her concentration shattered, but Puck caught her in his arms, holding her close.

"Lauren, are you all right?"

She nodded into his shoulder. "I'm just... waiting for the world to stop spinning..."

Puck blinked and then sighed internally. He gave her a gentle smile. "I think that's enough magic for you tonight. Your body's not used to this sort of activity yet, but it will come in time. Now, let's get you back to the castle."

She nodded again and the trickster carefully brought her back to the parapets, setting her down gently. He let her lean on him for a moment, due to her shaky legs.

Her uncle walked up to her, the gargoyles trailing him. "So, how was it?"

The girl gave him a smile. "Totally... awesome."

Puck put a hand on her shoulder. "She did well for her first time."

Broadway grinned. "I guess you won't be needing one of us to hold you when we take you out on an aerial tour of the city, huh?"

She almost rolled her eyes. "Sure, if I can stay up for longer than thirty seconds."

"As I said, it will come in time. All you need is some practice." Puck looked at the position of the moon. "It's _very _late now."

Lauren got the hint. "Yeah, I should get some sleep."

"I'll bring you to your room," Puck said, taking a hold of her hand and leading her away.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

As Lauren entered the room, an Elf directly behind her, she let out a yawn. "I need to get changed."

Puck grinned at her. "Well, don't let me stop you..."

She turned bright red and looked at him. _Tell me that was a joke..._ she thought.

"In fact," Puck said, holding his hand toward her. "Let me make it even easier on you."

_"The day is gone, and here's the night,_

_ And this fair maiden's in my sight,_

_ The clothes she wears are from the day,_

_ 'tis time to change for night, I say!"_

The girl felt a strange tingling over the surface of her skin as her clothing flared brightly and were instantly replaced with a floor length night-tee. She couldn't help it as her jaw dropped.

"Okay. Now _that_ was cool..." Lauren couldn't help but say this with more than just a little awe.

Puck smirked at her and then put his hand on the small of her back as he urged her to her bed. "There is time enough for more lessons another time. _You_ are up _far_ later than you usually are. And in spite of the fact that Owen was given the night off, the Puck should go help your uncle in preparing for Oberon's arrival."

Lauren hesitated. "Um... about that..." When he was looking at her again, she sat on the edge of the bed, looking a little nervous. "I was wondering if... you could tell me more about my father. I mean... I know about Goliath's encounter with him on Avalon and how he tried to take Alex when Titania asked him, but... those are only two instances. You've known him _much_ longer than the others, so... I want to know what _you_ think of Oberon."

Puck took in a slow deep breath as he assimilated her question and tried to think of a way to respond that would not make her father out to be a complete and utter asshole. Considering that he _had_ banished the Fey from Avalon eternally, his own feelings toward their leader were still rather bitter.

"Well... Oberon is... stubborn. When he feels he's right, he's right, and nothing will change his mind. He's not _bad_... just... convinced of his own superiority." He sat on the bed beside Lauren with a sigh. "A thousand years ago, he sent us all out into the mortal world to learn humility. I think all of us learned our lessons except for him. I guess he figured he didn't have a problem in the first place." He hesitated before saying the next words. "If Lord Oberon decides you're going to Avalon... then he will fight for you. And as much as I hate to say this, I don't think Xanatos or the Gargoyles will make any difference."

Lauren's expression turned strained. The last thing she wanted was to be dragged off to some magical island without her consent. But if Puck's description of her father was accurate (and he surely knew the Lord of the Fey better than any of the others) then it looked as if that might turn out to be the case.

Seeing her expression, Puck quickly put his hand on hers and gave her a smile. "Try not to worry about it for now. Coyote said he would give us a few days for you to assimilate everything that you've learned and for Mr. X to make preparations for Oberon's arrival. Lord Oberon is also fairly unpredictable, so it may be that he won't snatch you away after all."

"I hope he doesn't," she said quietly. "This is the sort of life I've always wanted and I don't want to have it taken from me when I'm just starting to get settled in."

The fey cupped her cheek and gave her a gentle smile. "Put the worries from your mind for now. We don't know what's going to happen yet, so there's little point in worrying about it. You're tired and need your rest. We can talk more tomorrow."

She seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then nodded quietly. She pulled back the covers and climbed into bed. Puck placed his fingers at her temple and seconds later she was lost in pleasant dreams.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

**Please R&R! No promises one when the next chapter will be up, but keep your eyes open for updates!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Okay, I have a confession to make... I am experiencing a mild case of writers block on my other stories, but I am fighting through it. They are being worked on little by little until I can get past this horrible phase. In the meantime, here's a little something for my Lauren fans to chew on. **

**I do not own Gargoyles, only Lauren.**

**Here's Chapter 11!**

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The next morning when Owen came back into her room, the night before seemed surreal to Lauren. Almost as if it had all been a dream. It was only when Owen said something that it confirmed it had all been real.

"After you went to sleep last night, Goliath went to the Labyrinth to see if the mutates and clones could be persuaded to aid us in the event Lord Oberon decides to take action. Talon is hesitant, but said they will come to the castle tonight to discuss the issue."

Lauren's head jerked up hearing this. _Definitely wasn't a dream, in that case,_ she thought. She wasn't sure if she should be disappointed or not. On one hand, it meant she no longer had to conceal her powers, but on the other... it meant that Oberon would soon know that she existed, and take who knew what action.

And then there was Puck... who was currently Owen and bustling around her room as he had every morning she had woken up here. She couldn't help but look at him for several long moments, comparing him to his Elf-self. About the only similarity she could see was their eyes... and the rare occasion that Owen smiled, she could see the mischief hiding beneath the surface.

"Miss Lauren?" he asked curiously.

Her eyes went huge and she quickly looked downward, blushing now. "Omigod, I was staring! I'm sorry!"

Owen smiled then. "You were comparing my current form to that of my alter ego?"

She nodded a little guiltily. "It was rude of me..."

"Quite the contrary, it is actually very understandable. You have nothing to apologize about, Miss Lauren. I understand that you will need some time to adjust to everything that you've learned, and you are naturally curious about my part in all this."

She finished her breakfast quietly, still contemplating everything they had told her the night before. Once she had finished eating, Owen wordlessly took her bowl and left the room, giving her the privacy to change. Once she was done preparing for the day, she exited her room and made her way down to the dining room as usual.

Considering how late in the morning it was, Lauren was surprised to see her uncle sitting at the table along with Fox (who was holding Alex in her lap) and an unidentified older man with a white beard and hair.

When Lauren walked into the room, all of them looked up and her uncle broke into a smile immediately. "Ah, good morning, Lauren. Please, have a seat and join us." Once the girl had taken a seat across from the bearded man (who was regarding her curiously), her uncle continued speaking.

"I would like to introduce you to Lennox MacBeth, former High King of Scotland."

Her eyes went huge as she looked at the man. "You're... _the_ MacBeth?"

He smirked and nodded, extending his hand toward her. She shook it a little dubiously. "That I am, m'lady. It is a pleasure to meet you. Mr. Xanatos has told me a great deal about you." She took note of his heavy Scottish accent.

Her uncle looked at her. "I asked MacBeth to come down here to ask for his assistance with our little... problem with Oberon. He has some experience when it comes to dealing with the Children of Oberon and given his many years of experience, I am hoping he may be able to help us out."

The former king sighed heavily and took his cup of tea. "While I am flattered that you thought I might be able to help you with something of this magnitude, Mr. Xanatos, I fear I'm out of my league. I have only ever dealt with the Weird Sisters, and never have I faced them in battle. I don't know what help I can be. And in fact, I even have to question the wisdom of going up against Oberon himself in the first place."

Xanatos shook his head. "Your years of experience alone would be an asset to us. And as for Oberon, I've stood up to him to protect my family before, and you're damned right I'll do it again for Lauren!"

Macbeth had a sip and placed the tea back onto the table. "Mr. Xanatos, I understand your reasons behind wanting to stand against Oberon, especially considering your last encounter with him. However... The circumstances surrounding the last time and _this_ time are very different. The last time, you were fully within your right to try and protect your son. Oberon had no claim at that time. However, this time you seek to keep him from _his_ daughter. As much as I hate to tell you this, Oberon does have a legitimate claim this time around."

Fox frowned at him. "The only difference being... where the hell has he _been_ for the past seventeen years? How can he try dragging Lauren with him to Avalon when the two of them have never even _met_ before?"

Xanatos glowered. "How can he have any claim on her when he didn't even so much as poke his head into her life?"

Lauren tried not to look uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going. As much as she hated to admit it, MacBeth _did_ have a point. Whether she wanted to be or not, she _was_ Oberon's biological daughter and so he did have every right to see her... however... As her uncle had said... how could he try dragging her off to live with him on Avalon when he hadn't even cast a glance in her direction in all her seventeen years? Surely a man with his power would have been able to do _something_ to let her know he was there. And wouldn't it have been so simple for him to see her situation and get her out of it? She shook her head inwardly. It was obvious he hadn't peeked in on her or her mother even once. No father would be so heartless as to stand idly by as his daughter was treated the way Lauren had been.

Before either of her godparents could respond, Owen walked into the room. He formally filled their drinks for them before giving them a silent bow and leaving the room once more.

MacBeth shrugged. "I was simply making a point about the difference in the circumstances." Then he took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "While I don't know what help I can offer you, Mr. Xanatos, I will do what I can. You believe this encounter will happen within the next few days?"

Xanatos nodded. "I wish we had a more specific date for you, but a few days is all Coyote told us he could give us."

He frowned now, looking deep in thought. "With your enemy being Oberon, we'll want to be as prepared as we possibly can be when he arrives. But since we have no idea on exactly _when_ he will be coming, it makes sense for me to be as close to the battle ground as I can. With your permission, I would like to bring my Aircraft here and reside in the castle until the time has come."

The billionaire breathed a massive sigh of relief. "I would only be too happy to have you. I will arrange for sleeping accommodations for you."

He nodded. "Very well, then. I will head for home now and make the preparations. I should be back before sunset."

"Excellent. I cannot thank you enough for your help, MacBeth."

The immortal smirked. "No thanks are necessary, Mr. Xanatos. This just gives me something else to think about aside from my next lecture at the University." He got to his feet then. "I'll be off now." He gave Lauren a formal bow. "It was a pleasure, my Lady." He said, and then left the room without another word.

Fox looked at her husband. "Okay, I talked to daddy, MacBeth just left... who's next?"

As if on cue, Owen entered the room once more. "Detectives Maza and Bluestone have just arrived." He stepped aside, letting the two police officers inside the room. Then the servant joined them sitting around the table. It didn't escape Xanatos' notice that his assistant sat right beside his niece.

Lauren resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow. It almost seemed as if her uncle was trying to amass an army to go up against Oberon. It felt strange knowing that all of them were going to be fighting just so she could stay in New York... especially when she had never even _met_ most of the people who were going to be fighting for her.

Elisa didn't look too happy about being there when the gargoyles weren't awake, but considering the history between her and Xanatos, it really shouldn't come as a surprise.

"Okay, Xanatos, what's the big emergency?" she asked, trying not to sound too annoyed at being called to come there.

The billionaire smirked. "It's complex, detective. And we need to bring your partner up to speed on some things... such as the Children of Oberon."

Matt blinked. "The who?"

Elisa frowned slightly now. "What does this have to do with them?"

Lauren cleared her throat a little guiltily now. "Um... there's something... I never showed you guys..." She opened the palm of her hand and the cup of tea slid across the table and into her waiting hand. "We... need to talk," she said, not looking up.

Elisa looked at the girl in amazement, while Matt's jaw was half to the floor.

"Um... okay, explain, someone?" Bluestone said somewhat numbly.

Xanatos sighed and indicated the table and chairs. "Take a seat. It's a long story."

The police officers sat down a little dubiously and settled in for a long telling. Part way through, Owen transformed himself back into Puck to give Bluestone just a small demonstration. When they were done, Matt pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Okay, I officially have a headache taking this all in... but I think I have the gist of it..."

Fox smirked. "You think _you're_ overwhelmed? Think of how Lauren felt when she learned all this."

Elisa was deep in thought now. "I take it that you're hoping Matt and I will be able to help when Oberon shows up?"

He nodded. "Any and all help would be appreciated, detective."

She sighed heavily. "Oh man... the last time I saw Oberon, I almost became a permanent fixture on Avalon. I wasn't even awake when he was in New York to get Alex because he put the entire city to sleep. If he comes again, who's to say that he won't pull the same stunt? Some of the allies you get might wind up completely useless!"

He nodded. "I'd thought of that. That's why I'm inviting anyone who is willing to help us against Oberon to stay here in the castle. It would only be a temporary stay."

She grimaced now, liking this idea less and less, but at the same time... She looked over at Lauren who was seated right next to a currently serious Puck. She saw he had her hand firmly in his and she almost raised an eyebrow, but shook it off. She had to agree that she thought Lauren would be better off with Xanatos (never thought she'd say _that!_) than on Avalon. Being born and raised in New York, and considering her history, Elisa knew that tearing her away from her newfound family would do nothing but hurt Lauren more.

She sighed heavily. "Okay, I'm in. Just let me get Cagney and pack up a few clothes and I'll be back in a few hours." She looked at her partner. "Matt?"

The man looked around the table for a long moment, and then let out a sigh of his own. "I can't believe I'm about to agree to go into battle with an almost all powerful fairy who wants to drag his daughter off with him to never-never-land..." He shook his head. "I may be out of my mind, but I'm in. Like Elisa, I'll just run to my apartment and pick some stuff up."

The two of them got to their feet, before Elisa stopped and looked at Lauren.

"I'm curious about something now... you didn't _really_ have a black out during the attack, did you? You know exactly what happened, right?"

The girl fidgeted a little uneasily as she nodded. "I do but... it's not something I _want_ to remember..." She felt Puck tighten his hold on her hand.

The NYPD detective gave her a small smile. "Well... whatever really happened, not only was it in self defence, but I have a feeling it was a complete accident, so it doesn't change anything, really. We'll see you again in a few hours." She looked at her partner. "Let's head out. If we hurry, we can get settled in before we have to start our shift tonight."

He nodded. "Right." The two of them walked out without another word.

David and Fox exchanged a look. "Can you think of anyone else?" the former asked.

Fox sighed. "Well, I was considering Dingo, but with him being in Australia and allied with the Matrix... I don't know if it would be the best idea to bring him here... or if he'd even agree. I don't know who else we could call in for this. The mutates are coming over tonight, though. If they agree to help, it'll bring up our chances."

Puck shrugged. "Well, I've given you all the advice I can think of that might help you out against Oberon, Mr. X. Will you be needing Owen in the next little while?"

He thought for a moment and then shook his head. "Not that I'm aware of. Why?"

He smirked now. "I was just thinking it would be a good idea for Lauren and I to continue with our talk. We got... sidetracked by a flying lesson last night."

Xanatos almost frowned, but then fought off his overprotective side. Lauren hadn't objected to anything Puck had done thus far and he knew that the Fay would never hurt his niece. And besides... the other night he had made Lauren _laugh_. Something that nobody else had been able to do.

"I see no harm in that. I'm sure she still has questions that need answers, and would appreciate another opportunity to spend some time with you. That is... as long as Lauren has no objections?"

The girl shook her head immediately.

He smiled. "Okay then. I'll let you know if I happen to need Owen, Puck, so just keep that cell phone of his close."

He grinned broadly. "You've got it, Mr. X!" He held his hand out to Lauren once again. "Shall we?"

She gave him her small smile and nodded, accepting his hand.

Once Puck had led his niece out of the room, Xanatos shook his head. "I wonder if Puck would start calling me "Uncle X" if anything official happens between him and Lauren?"

Fox snorted. "Well, I'd be Auntie Fox, and..." She rose an eyebrow. "Does this mean he would start calling Oberon "Dad"?"

Resisting the urge to shudder, Xanatos shook his head. "I don't even want to _think_ about _that._ Let's just get back to work, shall we?"

She nodded, an amused smile on her face. She pointed at the blueprints in front of them. "Okay, now it will take about four days to get the force field up and running again, and we don't even know if we have that much time. Not to mention we have to alter the design somewhat so the field extends below the ground this time..."

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Puck grinned at her. "I would suggest going outside, but your uncle called in repair crews this morning, and I don't think me going out there would go over very well..."

Lauren had a brief mental image of the expressions on the construction worker's faces if they should ever see Puck, and she felt her smile grow a little. "That's okay. So... where should we head to, then?"

"Have you been in the atrium yet?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Aside from the elevators and the underground parking lot, the only place I've been in is the castle. The atrium's just one floor lower, right?"

He nodded. "And it's privately owned by Mr. X, so we don't have to worry about unwanted visitors."

She smiled. "Sounds good to me."

Giving her a wicked smile, he nodded and led her to the elevators. Moments later, they were in the atrium and Lauren couldn't help but be a little in awe at the sight of it. Full grown oak and cedar trees were growing from small hills of green grass. There were flowering bushes, hawthorns, and plots of blooming flowers everywhere she looked. She was also more than just a little surprised to see a few small birds flying around within the space.

"Wow... it's like the outdoors are _indoors..._" She walked up to a large oak tree and sat down beneath it, relishing the feel of the grass between her fingers. She almost wanted to lie down. "I think I've officially found my favourite area in the building..."

Puck had no reservations about laying down and putting his hands behind his head. "It's my favourite area, too. It's peaceful and due to the air filtration system that's installed, you actually breathe in _unpolluted_ air."

Lauren blinked and took in a deep breath through her nose. Her eyes widened a little. "Wow, I just noticed now that you mentioned it. I don't think I've ever smelled unpolluted air before... Well, there was the time we drove out to Colorado, but even there the air's not as fresh as here..."

Puck raised an eyebrow and glanced at her. "What were you doing in Colorado?"

She shrugged. "We went there to visit Grandma Johnson when she was sent to the old folks home about four years ago. Her mind was deteriorating though, so it wasn't the most eventful visit."

He propped himself up on one elbow and looked at her. "So... growing up, the only family you were aware of that you had was your mother, step father, and your grandmother from your step father's side of the family?"

She nodded. "Yup. I almost fell off my chair when Morgan told me who my uncle was. Until last week, I didn't have a clue. I thought I was about to go on a trip to the local orphanage. I have no idea why mom didn't tell me about David Xanatos being her brother but..." She shook her head. "Well, I guess there's no point in dwelling on it now."

Puck's expression turned curious now. "I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds here, but... why don't you seem to want to talk about your mother? Every time she comes up in a conversation, you sidestep the issue and change the subject. Even Dr. Gordon is concerned about you not discussing your feelings toward her..."

Lauren's head whipped in his direction. Her expression strained for a long moment, as if she was stuck between wanting to run away and hide, or blowing her stack at the Fay.

Thankfully, she did neither. Instead, she let out a heavy sigh and laid herself down on her stomach, her elbows holding her up and her head being supported by her hands. "The truth is... I don't know _how_ I felt toward her. I know that sounds like a terrible thing for a daughter to say, but I can't help it." She started picking at some of the blades of grass. Puck was now just regarding her silently. "At the funeral, everyone was talking about how sweet, happy and full of life she was." She shook her head. "I never knew that woman. I wish I had, but Craig killed that part of her a long time ago. I don't know how I felt about her... and I have no idea how she felt about me."

Puck put a hand on her shoulder now. "She was your mother. She loved you," he said as sincerely as he could.

Again, she shook her head. "I have to wonder if she really did. Not long after the beatings started including me, when Craig finally got it out of his system and left... there were times that she would just cling to me and start crying and talking. She would go on, sometimes almost for an entire hour, about how much better her life would be if she'd never gotten pregnant with me in the first place. It felt more like I was the one comforting _her_ instead of the other way around." She slowly sat up again. "Sometimes it was as if she didn't want me to exist in the first place. The first time anyone ever told me they loved me was when I came here and first met Alex. I honestly can't remember the words coming from Mom _or_ Craig."

Her head jerked up slightly when Puck cupped her cheek and she saw his sympathetic expression. "Your mother was a broken woman, Lauren. I have no doubt in my mind that she loved you as much as any mother loves her child, even though she had lost the ability to express that love toward you."

Lauren was a little surprised to feel the tears start making their way down her cheeks, but she didn't question them. Without saying a word, Puck pulled her in close and held her, letting her cry.

It seemed as if once the tears started, they didn't want to stop. Before she realized it, she was clinging to the front of Puck's clothes and it was all coming out. He said nothing, but he held her, rocking her gently and running the fingers of one hand through her hair. She relaxed into his hold, and after a good half hour, her crying finally tapered off.

She slowly pulled away and couldn't bring herself to look at him. "I'm sorry..."

He shook his head and tilted her chin up so she was looking at him. "Don't apologize. I think you were holding that in long enough and it's a _good_ thing you got it out now. Pent up emotions can be a dangerous thing to have when you possess magic, because those emotions can rear their ugly heads at any time and cause you to lose control."

She blinked. "Like when the Quarrymen attacked... It was like I was running on cruise control. I couldn't control what I was doing."

He smirked. "That's exactly what I mean. You were enraged, so your magic took over to protect you because you're not sure how to use it effectively yourself yet."

"In other words, I should try not to blow my stack?"

He nodded. "That's right. That's why I taught you how to access your magic last night. If you can get yourself to the point where you can call it forth at will, the chances of you losing control will be greatly diminished." He cupped her cheek and had to resist the urge to smirk when he saw her turn red. "You're a gentle soul, Lauren, and I know you didn't mean for the incident with the Quarrymen to get out of control as it did. And I know you certainly didn't mean to _kill_ Craig. I don't think either one of us wants to see those things happen again."

She couldn't help but lean into his touch a little before she nodded. "You're right."

He leaned in closer to her, placing his mouth by her ear. "Well... what do you say we put this depressing topic behind us, and move on to something else?"

She smiled in relief. "I would appreciate that."

Puck nodded and then got to his feet, offering her a hand up. Lauren took it wordlessly. "Now, how about we get in a few more magic lessons?"

Her face lit up immediately. "Sounds great!"

"All right, what would you like to learn first? We covered flying last night, and you should practice that when you have the opportunity so your body gets used to it."

She thought for a minute. She wasn't even entirely sure what she was capable of, and she had only seen a few pieces of magic over the past few days. "Well, you and Coyote mentioned teleporting..."

Puck smirked. "_That_ is a little advanced for you, yet, I think. Teleportation requires a tight control over your magic and intense focus. We should focus on simpler things for now." He thought for a moment and then smiled broadly. "I have just the thing! Let's see if you can cast a spell!" He looked around himself for a moment, taking in his surroundings. Seeing two small boulders that Xanatos had put into the atrium for decorative purposes, he nodded to himself. Taking her by the hand, he led her to the boulders. "Now, watch and listen carefully." He lifted his hand toward one of the boulders.

"_This rock is dull, barren and cold,_

_Let's change it to a pile of gold!"_

As Lauren watched, her jaw dropped when the boulder flared green and then morphed into a literal pile of gold... coins, bars and jewels. She couldn't help it when her mouth opened and the words came out.

"Holy shit! You mean... I can actually _do_ that?"

He smirked and nodded. "Oh, absolutely. Such a spell should be fairly easy for you, actually."

Lauren snorted slightly. "Wish someone had told me I could do that _before_ I was rich," she muttered. Then she took in a deep breath and let it out. "Okay, let's see if I can do this..."

"Okay, a quick test for you... you observed what I did, and now... can you tell me what you need to do to cast the spell?" Puck asked.

She blinked and thought for a moment. "Well... you told me last night that in order for me to do things like this, I needed to be able to feel my magic, so I have to bring it to the surface again..." He nodded. "You held your hand out toward the rock, I'm guessing to help direct your magic?" He smiled a little now and nodded again. "Then the words, of course..." She frowned a little. "I can't think of anything else, but I have a feeling there's a little more to it, isn't there?"

He grinned broadly now and nodded. "You're right. You have to focus very intently on what your goal is. Picture it in your mind, and direct your magic to specifically accomplish that goal." He came up behind her. "All right, let's start this one step at a time. First, just as you did to fly last night, bring your magic to the surface."

After a few moments she successfully did so and awaited further instructions. She could _feel_ as Puck stepped a little closer so only inches separated them.

"Alright. Now focus on your goal, and when you have it firm in your mind, raise your hand toward the boulder and repeat the spell I espoused earlier. 'This rock is dull, barren and cold, let's change it to a pile of gold.' Can you remember that?" He asked, his voice lowering slightly. She nodded and turned bright red when she felt his hands settle on her hips. Deciding to try ignoring this for a moment, she focused on the goal of changing the rock into a pile of gold as Puck had. She tried holding the image of the boulder undergoing the transformation in her mind, but she found it was harder than it sounded.

Especially when Puck laid his head on her shoulder. She felt her face get hotter.

"Puck... you're distracting me..." she said, finding it impossible to actually get _annoyed_ with the fay.

Puck smirked, even though she didn't see it. "Am I really? That's actually a _good_ thing. In most situations where it is necessary to cast a spell, you don't have the time to sit quietly and focus like you do right now." He leaned forward a little more, so his chest was now against her back and her mouth by her ear. "Just do what you can to put all your focus on your goal. Try pretending that I'm not here."

Such a task was easier said than done, especially when she felt his long, slender hands making their way up and down her sides. She didn't think she could get any redder, and wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Lauren was actually a little surprised at just how much... _attention_ Puck was giving her... though she certainly had no objections. Well, as long as he didn't take it _too _far too fast. She had never received this type of attention from anyone before and wasn't entirely sure how to take it, so she just decided to go with the flow unless it made her feel uncomfortable.

Realizing her mind was drifting again, she quickly focused on her goal once more, trying to stubbornly hold the image of the transformation in her mind. When she thought she had it, she decided to give it a shot.

She held her hand out toward the boulder.

"_This rock is dull, barren and cold,_

_Let's change it to a pile of gold!"_

When she saw the boulder flare green, she smiled broadly, but Puck stiffened from behind her. Before she knew it, she was on the ground, Puck shielding her, as the boulder exploded. Once he was sure that there was no more debris flying through the air, he let her up.

The girl's eyes were wide as she looked at the pieces of rock now scattered in the area. "Um... that... wasn't supposed to happen..."

Puck raised an eyebrow, looking at the scene for himself. Then he smirked as he returned the scene back to its original state with a casual wave of his hand. "I guess I was distracting you more than I thought. I'll give you a small hint... Don't lose your focus until the spell has successfully accomplished its task."

She blinked. "You... just waved your hand... No words this time?"

His smirk widened. "Spells don't necessarily _need_ words to go along with them. It just helps with the focus. Changing inanimate items to their original state requires almost no effort at all." He shrugged. "I've used that one _many_ times over the past few years as well, ever since I started teaching Alexander. I have to clean up after myself, after all." He casually picked a blade of grass out of her hair. "Would you like to try again? No distractions this time, I promise."

Before the girl could answer in the affirmative, the unmistakable sound of a cell phone ringing filled the air. Puck sighed and hung his head for a couple seconds.

"Duty calls..." he said with a long sigh. One flash of light later, and Owen Burnett was standing before her once again.

The stoic man reached into his suit and pulled out the cell phone. "Yes?" A pause. "Very good. I am on my way." He hung up the phone and looked at Lauren. "Detective Maza has arrived, along with Detective Bluestone. I have to show them to their guest rooms. It should not take long. Would you care to take a small break and join me, or would you prefer to remain here?"

Lauren blinked. "I'll go with you. I don't know if I feel confident enough to practice magic when I'm by myself yet... except for the telekinetics, anyway..."

He nodded. "Understandable, especially after a few of your experiences. Well, let's be on our way then. We mustn't keep the detective's waiting."

Nodding herself now, she quickly fell in step beside him as he left the atrium.

They made it to the elevator just in time for the doors to open and the two detectives to step out. While Matt carried only a suitcase, Elisa was struggling with a suitcase, an animal carrier, and a fabric bag. Owen immediately came forward to relieve Elisa of her suitcase, and a somewhat mournful meow emanated from the animal carrier. Lauren perked up immediately.

"You have a kitty?"

Elisa smirked. "Yeah, my own personal shedder, but I love her."

Lauren turned a little red. "Um... can I hold her?"

The detective's smirk turned into a smile. "Sure. As soon as we're in my room, I'll let her out."

Owen led them down the halls to two doors that were across from one another. "These rooms are reserved for you both. Please, feel free to make yourselves at home. If you have need of anything, you can feel free to contact me and I will do what I can to accommodate you."

Elisa nodded and entered one of the doors and Matt entered the other one. Lauren followed Elisa into her room and, once Owen had ensured the door was closed so the cat wouldn't escape, she opened the door to the cat carrier.

Lauren almost squealed when the cat slowly came out of the enclosed space and she gently picked the animal up. At first the feline seemed to stiffen, but when Lauren started scratching behind her ears, Cagney relaxed and started to purr.

Elisa smiled at the sight. "You almost look as if you're having your first experience holding a cat..."

Lauren smiled as she continued to cuddle the purring ball of fur. "Well, first time in ten years. Craig was allergic. When I was seven I brought stray into the house and..." She hesitated. "We'll just say that it did _not_ end well. I haven't held one since then until now."

_I have a feeling I don't want to know,_ Elisa thought. The officer put a hand on her shoulder. "Well, any time you want to visit with Cagney, you can feel free to come into my room, even if I'm not here. I haven't seen too much put a smile on your face, and if Cagney does, then you're welcome to see her."

Seeing the way the young woman was reacting to the cat, Owen made a mental note to mention it to his employer.

Lauren seemed very happy to hear Elisa's offer as she cuddled the cat for a moment longer. Then she let it down with a barely perceptible sigh.

Owen bowed to Elisa. "I hope you find the accommodations to your liking, Detective Maza."

She snorted. "Are you kidding? This room alone is twice the size of my apartment. I think I'll be fine."

He nodded. "Very well. I will go check on Detective Bluestone now and leave you to get settled in. You are, of course, free to wander the castle as you wish. Good day, Detective." He turned and left the room, Lauren on his heels.

Matt was currently rummaging around in his suitcase and pulling out some clothes for his work that night. He blinked when Owen and Lauren walked in.

"Are the accommodations to your liking, Detective Bluestone?"

The man looked around his room with a look that said 'You need to ask?' before turning to the servant. "Yeah, everything's fine for me." He kept casting little glances at Lauren for a moment before he sighed. "Okay, Lauren, this is going to sound totally off the wall and maybe a little childish but..."

She blinked when he trailed off. "But?"

He sighed again and tried not to look too eager as he asked. "Can I see you use that telekinesis again?"

She snorted. "I should have known that one was coming..." She looked around the room. Seeing a small flower vase sitting on one of the windowsills, she lifted it with her mind and had it float over to the wide eyed detective. He slowly took a hold of it and Lauren stopped using her ability, letting a tiny smile cross her features.

Matt shook his head in awe. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing that..."

She almost rolled her eyes. "Well, after seven years, I'm used to it by now. But anyway..." She turned to Owen. "Do you have any more duties to do as Owen?"

"I don't believe so, but I will contact Mr. Xanatos just to be sure." He stepped off to the side as he pulled out his cell phone and started dialing. As he did this, Elisa entered the room. When she saw Matt holding the vase of flowers, she shook her head and smirked.

"Sorry, Matt, I'm already taken."

He rolled his eyes and set the vase down on the dresser. "Lauren used her power when I asked her and she brought it over to me..."

The woman sighed. "Matt, she's not here for your entertainment, you know..."

He shook his head. "I know that, I just... I just _had_ to see it again! I mean, the gargoyles are one thing, but with what I learned..." His head made the back and forth motion again. "It's still blowing my mind..."

"Boy, are you going to be in for a shock if and when Oberon shows up..." Elisa muttered. In that moment, Owen hung up the phone and came forward once more, his gaze falling on Lauren.

"Mr. Xanatos has given me permission to continue with our talk until Mr. MacBeth has arrived. However, as he undoubtedly has a great deal more at his disposal than the Detective's, his arrival will probably not happen until shortly before nightfall."

Lauren looked at her watch. "Great! That should give us a few hours!"

"Would you like to return to the atrium, Miss Lauren?"

She nodded and gave him a small smile. "Sure! Then we can continue with the lessons!"

Elisa blinked. "Lessons?"

Owen cleared his throat slightly. "My alter-ego has taken it upon himself to teach Miss Lauren how to better control her abilities."

Elisa remembered how she had seen Puck holding Lauren's hand earlier in the dining hall and then shrugged it off. Hey, if she could have a relationship with Goliath, then there was no reason why she should find it odd for Lauren to do the same with the fey.

She gave them both a smile. "Okay, then. I guess I'll catch a few hours of sleep in my room before I have to go in to work tonight, so I'll see you two later. Have fun." She walked out of the room without another word.

Matt sighed. "Well, I'm going to finish unpacking and then do the same as Elisa. Fridays are the worst."

Owen nodded. "We will take our leave then. Have a good sleep, detective." He inclined his head toward Matt, and then he and Lauren left the room.

The second the majordomo closed the door behind them, he reverted back into his alter-ego and grinned at Lauren. "Well, let's get back to business, shall we?" He held out his hand to her and she accepted it, her small smile in place.

"Sounds good."

They were making their way toward the elevators hand in hand when Xanatos and Fox rounded a corner and spotted them. While her uncle raised an eyebrow seeing the two of them holding hands, his wife merely smiled knowingly.

"On your way to continue on with your talk?" Xanatos asked, trying to keep a smirk off his face.

Puck answered in the affirmative while Lauren just gave her uncle her small smile and a nod.

His smirk widened now. "Well, before you two run off to do that... I'd like to have a moment of your time, Puck."

Fox grinned now from beside her husband. "And Lauren, _I'd_ like to have a word with you."

Fey and Halfling both exchanged a look now, Puck's expression suggesting he knew what they wanted, while Lauren didn't have a clue, apparently.

Before either of them could respond, Xanatos had Puck by the hand and was dragging him into a room, while Fox did the same with Lauren.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Puck tried to keep his irritation at bay when he and his boss were finally alone. He saw that Xanatos' expression hadn't changed one iota... that knowing smirk of his was still right in place.

"Well, Puck... do you have any idea why I asked to speak with you?"

He sighed now. "I have a sinking sensation that I do. I take it Fox is talking to Lauren about the same thing?"

His smirk widened. "I can't fool you, now can I? Very well, then... I won't waste time with formalities then. To put everything out in the open right now..." He cleared his throat. "Puck, what are your intentions toward Lauren?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mr. X, I can assure you, my intentions are honourable."

Xanatos raised an eyebrow. "Never thought I'd hear you say _that..._"

Puck looked up now, looking a little annoyed. "Did you think that I'd say anything _different?_ Especially considering what she's already been through? A trickster, I may be, but _never_ malicious. All I want is to make up for the seventeen years of neglect and abuse that she experienced and show her just how worthwhile she really is."

His employer shrugged. "Sounds fair enough to me. I just wanted to make sure that we were on the same page, is all. You seem to make her happy, and as long as that doesn't change, I have no reasons to object." Then his expression flattened somewhat. "Just make sure that Lauren has no objections to anything you do."

Puck nodded immediately. "Of course. I would never do anything without her consent, Mr. Xanatos. I will only treat Lauren with the greatest of respect."

The billionaire smiled broadly now. "Well then, we shouldn't have any problems then. Now, let's go wait for the ladies to finish with _their_ chat, shall we?"

The two of them exited the room and started waiting patiently in the hall.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Once the door was closed behind them, Fox turned to Lauren and the girl fidgeted slightly at the expression on the woman's face. Her smile was bordering on being a smirk, and the mischief in her eyes was unmistakable.

"So... Lauren. Do you have any idea why I wanted to talk to you?"

The girl blinked and shook her head slowly.

The older woman smiled and let out a sigh. "Okay then, I guess I'm going to have to come right out and say it..." She looked squarely at Lauren. "Your uncle and I have noticed a few of your... interactions with Puck. We just want to make sure you're not uncomfortable with what's going on."

Lauren turned beet red immediately. "Oh... okay..."

Fox put a hand on her shoulder and urged her to sit down in a chair. Once the girl was seated, she took another chair for herself. "Okay, let's start with this, then... Have you _ever_ been in a romantic relationship before?"

She shook her head, trying to keep her face from getting any redder.

"All right... and... how far have you and Puck gotten?"

The girls head jerked up. "FOX!"

The woman laughed. "Come on, it's only a simple question. And the sooner you answer, the sooner you and Puck can be on your way."

Lauren let out a long sigh. "We've held hands and... some minor cuddling. That's it so far."

_Awwwwwwww..._ Fox couldn't help but find this adorable. Lauren was so obviously inexperienced in this sort of thing, and Puck, from what she had seen, was keeping that in mind as he made his moves.

"And how are you handling the attention?"

She hesitated and she seemed to by playing with a fold in her shirt. "Well... I... kinda like it. I mean... it was surprising when he first did it, but... It feels nice to have someone treat me like that. He's always gentle, and I know he would stop if he started making me uncomfortable..."

"And... it _doesn't_ make you uncomfortable?" she asked slowly.

Lauren shook her head. "No. As I said, I kinda like it. And I trust him enough to know that he won't go overboard."

She hesitated. "Just in case... you _are_ aware of the... preventative measures that sometimes come with being in a relationship?"

She turned a blazing red immediately. "Yes... I know about... that stuff." Fox smirked again.

_Poor thing probably thinks she's about to get the sex talk..._

"Well, it seems that everyone is on the same page, then. I think we're done in here for now... but, if Puck _ever_ does anything to make you uncomfortable, or if you have any questions, don't be afraid to come to me or David."

She nodded wordlessly, trying to get her skin back to its original color.

"Erm... are we done now?" she asked.

The former celebrity nodded. "I think that should just about cover it. I'll let you and Puck get back to what you were doing before. David and I have work of our own to get back to. We just thought we'd get this out of the way."

Lauren got to her feet and the two women quickly exited the room, finding the men standing in the hall. Xanatos came forward smoothly.

"Has everything been figured out, my dear?"

She nodded. "Things are looking good from all sides. But enough about that... Let's get back to work."

The two of them went down the hall, vanishing behind a corner.

Lauren sighed, still trying to fight off her mad blush. "Was all that necessary?" she asked.

Puck snorted. "I guess to their minds it was..." He shrugged. "Oh well, at least Mr. X kept it short and to the point."

She rolled her eyes. "Lucky. I was getting the impression that Fox was about to give me the sex talk."

The fey started roaring with laughter. "It's a _little_ early to be thinking about that... But anyway..." He held his hand out to Lauren. "Let's continue on, shall we? We have our own business to take care of."

Nodding, Lauren accepted his hand and they made their way back toward the atrium.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

**Okay, there you have chapter 11! Please leave me a review and tell me what you think! I have no promises on when the next chapter is going to be up, but keep your eyes open for an update!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Okay everyone! Here is chapter 12! I'm still suffering from that accursed writers block when it comes to some of my other stories, but the juices are still flowing wonderfully on this one! Please, read and tell me what you think!**

**I do not own Gargoyles. The only thing in this story that belongs to me is Lauren.**

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

They continued where they had left off the moment they got to their destination. Puck simply gave her a reminder of the words, and then stepped back to see how she did. As promised, no distractions this time.

He smiled when the spell had been successfully cast. No exploding boulders this time around! He came forward as Lauren was looking from her hand to the pile of riches.

He approached and put an arm around her waist. "Nicely done! Now... let's see if you can change it back to its original form. I'm not going to give you any words this time. Let's see if you can do this through concentration alone."

"So... I just hold an image of the gold changing back into the boulder again and focus my magic?"

He nodded. "That's it. As I said earlier, changing an item back to its original form is pretty easy, so you should have little problems with this one."

"Okay." She turned to the pile of gold and held out her hand. She brought her magic to the surface and focused as hard as she could, trying to imagine that the boulder was back and the gold was gone.

She stood there for a few long moments, when she finally unleashed her magic. She wasn't sure if she was successful or not until she heard Puck applaud from behind her. Opening her eyes, she saw the boulder was now in the place of the gold.

"Well done!" Puck sounded absolutely elated as he came up beside her.

Lauren smiled. "Thanks." Then she winced a little and rubbed her temples. "I think I did a little _too_ much concentrating with that one, though. I'm getting a headache."

He shrugged. "Well, let's take a rest, if that's the case. We can discuss something other than magic for a while. I think you've made a nice chunk of progress today!" He gently took her by the arm, hooking it with his own in the traditional way, and started leading her to the giant oak tree once more.

They seated themselves, Puck leaning against the tree and very gently urging Lauren to sit up against him. She shyly complied and he wrapped his arms around her midsection.

He seemed to hesitate a moment. "I... hope I'm not being too forward..."

She let her small smile come to her face as she leaned into his shoulder. "Don't worry. You're not."

He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief hearing this. "All right, but the moment I make you uncomfortable, don't hesitate to tell me..."

"I won't," she said. She nuzzled in a little closer and put her own arm around his waist. "It feels... nice to have someone hold me like this."

She could almost see the self-satisfied smirk on his face. "It's nice to know you're enjoying the attention. Mr. X almost scared me when he pulled me aside."

Her smile widened. "Well, I'm not used to people being protective toward me, but I can live with it so long as he doesn't overdo it. I'm sure if I talk to him about it, he'll be okay with it."

Puck nodded as he slowly started running his fingers through her hair. "So... you've _never_ had a boyfriend?"

She blushed and shook her head.

His smirk widened now. "That means your sweet sixteen came and went without you receiving a kiss?"

Her blush deepened and she nodded. "That's right."

The fey leaned in closer so his lips brushed up against her ear. "Would you object to me being the first?"

Lauren felt her face grow hotter. "No," she said simply.

Sensing her shyness kicking in, Puck very gently cupped her cheek and turned her head so she was facing him. Then he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. The kiss was far from being passionate... just an innocent first kiss. Even though the fey was tempted to do more, he knew better than to push it this early on. He was actually surprised she had consented to even _this!_

He let the contact last for the span of a few heartbeats before he pulled back. The girl's face was now _very_ red and she had that shy smile firmly in place. Puck's hand was still cupping her face and he let his thumb rub her cheek for a few seconds as he gave her a gentle smile.

"I don't think you realize just how beautiful you are, Lauren. But be assured, I will not rest until you feel like the most beautiful and worthwhile woman in the world." He let her lean against him once more, and she immediately rested her head on his shoulder.

She sighed contentedly. "Where have you been all my life?"

Puck seemed to consider for a moment. "Well, for the first nine years of your life, I was working for Mr. Renard, and then I came into the employ of Mr. Xanatos."

"It was a rhetorical question, smarty pants." Lauren simply couldn't keep the humor out of her voice.

"Well, you should have said so, then," he said, sounding equally amused.

Lauren's smile grew slightly and she snuggled in a little closer. Puck started threading his fingers through her hair with one hand and lazily tracing circles on the small of her back with the other. Another small sigh escaped her lips.

"You're going to put me to sleep, Puck."

"Feel free to take a nap, if you like. I don't mind holding you."

So Lauren allowed her mind to wander, relishing the feel of the fey holding her, enjoying the fresh air, and the small chirps from the birds that were housed within the atrium. Her mind drifted further and further away, and she was on the edge of sleep, when an odd sensation hit her. In the same instant that she felt this strange feeling, she just _knew_ that it was coming from Puck.

The suddenness of the unusual sensation caused her to jerk fully awake.

Puck blinked and looked down at her. "Are you all right? If this position is getting uncomfortable for you..."

She shook her head immediately. "No, that's not it. I was just about asleep, but then... I felt _something_."

"Really? What was it that you felt?"

Lauren strained her brain for a moment, trying to think of a way to describe what it was. "The closest thing I can think of to describe it would be... a vibration... almost a _humming_. Only I didn't feel or hear anything _physically_... it was more like I could _sense_ it, somehow..."

One of Puck's eyebrows slowly elevated as the young woman was talking and she was beginning to feel like an idiot. Then that grin split his features again and he shook his head.

"By the powers... you truly are your father's daughter. What you felt just a moment ago, Lauren, was my _own_ magic. You must have gotten lucky with this one. Learning how to actually sense magic takes a LOT of practice unless there's a tonne of magic to detect. I suppose it helps that we are so close together, as well, though. You must have been in the perfect mental state."

Lauren felt relieved to know that it hadn't been in her head. She let a small smile come to her face again. "Beginners luck?"

He shrugged. "That could be it, though it could also be that all your new encounters with magic is heightening your sensitivity to it. Time will tell. Now then..." He pulled her close to him once more, and she was only too happy to reclaim her former position. Puck resumed playing with her hair and tracing circles on the small of her back once again. "I believe you were about to sneak a nap in before MacBeth gets here." He brought his mouth up by her ear. "The Puck will lull you into your slumber, Lauren. Just close those eyes... and know that I will stay with you."

Those long, slender fingers of his were working their magic once more, and she found it hard to stay awake. Giving in, she let her eyes slide closed, and relished the feel of Puck as she let sleep overtake her.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

She was roused by the sound of a cell phone ringing several hours later. Puck gently pulled away from the young woman and reverted back to Owen, immediately reaching into his suit and answering the phone.

"Yes?... Very well sir. I am on my way." He hung up and looked at Lauren. "Mr. MacBeth's airship is approaching the Aerie Building as we speak." He glanced at his watch. "Sunset is also less than an hour away, so the mutates will likely be showing up very soon as well."

She nodded. "Okay, let's go then."

Owen nodded getting to his feet. He reached out a hand and helped up Lauren as well, and the two of them left the atrium, making their way to the top of the castle.

When they got there, the airship was just touching down, the propulsion from the engines unleashing a huge gust of wind as it powered down. A moment later, a door opened on the bottom side of the aircraft and MacBeth walked out, this time dressed in a long trench coat with light body armour beneath it.

Just as MacBeth stepped forward, her Uncle exited the castle himself, a greeting smile on his face as he approached the former king. They gave one another a firm handshake.

"Mr. MacBeth, I cannot thank you enough for your help in this matter. Your room has been prepared and if there is anything you might need, just ask myself or Owen and we will provide you with it."

He nodded graciously. "I thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Xanatos. For the time being, I would simply like to be shown my room so I can get settled in."

The CEO nodded. "Of course. Owen will show you the way. I have to prepare for the arrival of the mutates, so I will see you in about an hour."

"Very well, then. We will see you later, Mr. Xanatos." The millionaire nodded once more and headed back into the castle.

Owen looked at MacBeth. "If you would follow me?" He turned and started off, Lauren immediately falling into step beside the former King.

"Well, m'lady... I have both read about you and heard a great deal from your uncle. How has life with the Xanatos' been treating you?"

She blinked and then rubbed the back of her head. "Well, aside from all the surprises I keep getting thrown my way, things are going very good. For instance, I'm still blown away that I'm talking to an immortal former High King of Scotland."

He laughed. "And I am speaking to the flesh and blood daughter of Oberon, so we are both experiencing new things. Although, seeing as how you've been getting in some magic lessons courtesy of Puck, I'd say you're having many more new experiences than I am."

She looked at him, her eyes wide now. "How did you know that?"

He smirked. "If you're referring to how I know about Puck, your uncle had him reveal himself to me this morning before you got up. There was also talk of you taking part in a brief flying lesson the night before. Then tonight when I spoke to Mr. Xanatos to tell him I was on my way, he mentioned that you and Puck were with one another again, _presumably_ taking part in more lessons."

Lauren turned bright red and started wondering if there was a spell she could use to make her uncle go mute for a day or two. "B-but... we _were_ taking part in lessons..."

His smirk seemed to grow. "Oh, I have no doubt about that, m'lady. But is that _all_ the two of you were doing?"

Her face grew even hotter. As if the teasing from Fox and her uncle weren't enough. Now she even had MacBeth teasing her and he only had second-hand information! "I... I plead the fifth!"

The second those words were out of her mouth, the former king roared with laughter. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I think that answers my question, but I will not push the issue, m'lady. What you do in your time with Puck is no business of mine."

That's when they noticed Elisa Maza and Matt Bluestone coming down the hall. The woman blinked when she saw who was walking with Lauren and Owen.

"Hey, MacBeth. I take it Xanatos recruited you too?"

"Ah, Detective. It's been a while. And yes, he did. Mr. Burnett is just showing me to my room now." He looked at Matt then. "Hello, good sir. I don't believe you and I have had the pleasure of meeting yet."

Bluestone stuck out his hand. "Matt Bluestone, detective with the NYPD and Elisa's partner." He looked at the grey bearded man for a moment. "So... you're the actual historical MacBeth? Like in Shakespeare's play?"

He looked mildly annoyed now. "Yes, however that play is a travesty to true history. Unfortunately, Shakespeare had no choice but to make _me_ look like the bad one, as Duncan's descendants were the rulers in his time."

Lauren looked at Elisa. "Are you going to be here when the mutates get here?"

She sighed and shook her head. "I would, but my shift starts in an hour. We were just on our way to make ourselves a snack and then we were going to head to the Precinct. I'll visit with Derrik later when I get off my shift."

Owen looked at her. "Detective, if you wait just a few moments, I would be more than willing to..."

Elisa waved him off before he could even finish. "I'm a grown woman, Owen. I can handle a little cooking. You have more important things to worry about. Matt and I can manage."

He hesitated for a moment and then acquiesced. "Very well, Detective. If you would please excuse me, I have to show Mr. MacBeth to his room and then prepare for the arrival of your brother and the rest of the Labyrinth Clan."

She nodded. "Okay. Tell Derrik that I'll see him later tonight. It was nice seeing you again, MacBeth."

"You as well, Detective. Have a good night."

With that exchange out of the way, the detectives continued on their way and Owen led MacBeth to his guest room. It was only a few doors down from Matt's room on his side of the hall.

"I will get settled in here, and I will make my way to the top of the castle in about a half hour to greet the gargoyles when they awaken."

Owen nodded stoically. "Very well. Is there anything you require before I go?"

He shook his head. "No, I should be fine, but thank you. I will see you in a little bit."

The servant gave the former King a bow and then left, Lauren giving the guest a wave before quickly moving to follow. She wasn't sure where he was headed now, but she soon found herself in her uncle's office along with Fox and Xanatos. Owen gave the report that MacBeth was getting settled in, and then joined his employers in looking at some large blueprint that the millionaire had spread out on his desk.

The three adults engaged in a brief conversation about different tactics and security measures that were included in the blueprint. Lauren, a little curious, sauntered over to take a peek. Looking at the mess of lines and tiny writing, the girl couldn't make heads or tails of it. She knew it had to be a blueprint of the Aerie Building, but beyond that, she was completely lost.

She just sat there quietly for a few minutes, only half listening to their conversation and officially giving up on trying to make sense of the blueprint they were examining. Then Fox looked at her watch.

"Sunset is only five minutes away."

Xanatos nodded. "Well, let's go say good morning to our friends and wait for the last guests to arrive, shall we?"

The three of them left the office and headed up to the parapets. Only a moment after they were up there, MacBeth joined them as well. Moments later, the now familiar sound of cracking stone permeated the air and the six creatures roared into life.

"Good morning," Xanatos said as soon as the creatures noticed they were there. "The mutates should be arriving soon."

Brooklyn winced slightly. "I'll say it again, Xanatos... good luck getting them to help you. Those guys have a bigger grudge against you than anyone."

Xanatos sighed. "I know, but if there's even the slightest chance that they'll help..." He shook his head. "We need to try, anyway."

Broadway stretched. "You think there's time for breakfast before they show up?" He was rewarded with a light elbow from his mate, who had an amused smile on her face.

Looking out over the cityscape, Lexington shook his head. "Not unless you wanna invite them to have a bite with us. Here they come!"

Looking where the olive green gargoyle was, she saw three winged figures approaching the castle. When they alighted down, Lauren saw that one of them looked like he was fashioned from a panther, the second male was fashioned after a tiger, and the third was a woman who had been given the DNA from a lion. The Halfling had to remind herself repeatedly that her uncle had changed when she felt a stab of rage trying to make its way to the surface. She simply couldn't comprehend someone being so heartless as to do such a thing to another human being.

The panther-mutate stepped toward Goliath, stretching out his hand. The gargoyle and mutate clasped hands and exchanged smiles. "Talon. It is good to see you again."

He nodded. "It's good to see you too, Goliath."

Brooklyn looked around. "The clones aren't here?"

The female mutate shook her head. "We thought it would be best if we left them there to guard the Labyrinth and to keep an eye on Fang."

Xanatos stepped forward then. "Derrik... Talon. I cannot thank you and your friends enough for coming."

Talon's demeanour changed, along with his friends. He turned to Xanatos and let out a growl. "Don't get your hopes up, Xanatos! The only reason we're here is because Goliath asked us to come and hear you out! If I had my way, I'd just let you suffer through whatever mess you made for yourself!"

Maggie put a hand on his shoulder. "We've come this far, Derrik. Let's hear what's going on first."

Goliath nodded. "Yes. Let's go inside. We have much to talk about."

Moments later, all of them were gathered in the dining hall and seated around the table. As before, Owen took a seat right next to Lauren.

The former human leader of the Labyrinth Clan looked at her uncle. "Okay, Xanatos. You asked us to come, and now we're here. So tell us what this is about."

Xanatos nodded, seemed to take a moment to collect his thoughts, and then plunged right on in. With the assistance of the gargoyles as well as Puck once he revealed himself, they explained about the Children of Oberon and of their current dilemma.

When the telling of it all was done, Talon snorted a little indignantly. "I don't think I'd want my daughter to stay with you either, quite frankly."

"Derrik," Maggie said to him softly, his voice somewhat reprimanding. "Let's think about this for a moment. This situation is bigger than anything Xanatos has faced before, and while it does indirectly concern him, it's mostly about the well being of his niece. The question we have to ask is this: Is it right for Oberon to forcefully bring his daughter with him to..." She had to pause a moment. "Avalon?" When she received a nod from Goliath, she continued on. "He has had no interaction with her for the entirety of her life; in fact he probably didn't even know she existed! Now, Xanatos took Lauren in, and since she's arrived here, I'm guessing it's been much better, considering what I've read in the newspapers. Does Oberon truly have the right to take her away from this against her will?"

Derrik/Talon let out a long sigh and pinched the area where the bridge of his nose would be, had he still been human. "I need to think about this for a few minutes..." He got up and left the room without another word.

Maggie looked at them. "Let me talk to him." She rushed out the door after Talon. Claw was close behind her.

Xanatos sighed and shook his head. "It looks like they're on the fence."

Brooklyn shrugged. "Hey, I'm surprised they even gave you a chance to tell them the whole story. It could go either way at this point."

Lauren sat quietly for a moment, listening to the hushed conversation that was happening around her. Then she gave Puck a small smile, released his hand, and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Fox asked.

She paused. "The mutates came here to hear out Mr. Xanatos. You guys want help protecting me, but I never said a word since the mutates showed up. I think it's only right that they hear what I have to say about everything, too." She left the room.

A moment later, Lauren slowly made her way onto the parapets, looking around her for any signs of the mutates. She found the three of them on the east side of the castle, right next to the wall. Talon seemed to be conversing with Maggie quietly. Claw was the one who noticed Lauren first, and he quickly indicated she was there. The other two stopped talking and turned to see her.

Lauren slowed, suddenly self conscious, and not entirely sure where to start talking to these three. What could she really say to them after what her uncle had done to them?

Fortunately, Talon stepped forward, taking the initiative for her. "You're Lauren, right? I don't think we were formally introduced."

She smiled a little awkwardly. "With how nuts everything has been lately, I don't think formality has been at the forefront of everyone's minds." She cleared her throat a little. "Um... listen. You guys all came here because of me. Because my uncle wants your help to protect me from Oberon. Since you showed up, I haven't said a word, but I thought you'd like to hear my take on everything before you come to a decision."

Talon nodded. "Fair enough. We heard from everyone else, and since this situation is mostly concerning you, you're right that your voice should be heard, too. So..." He crossed his arms. "The floor's yours."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "It's not like I prepared a speech or anything..." She thought for a moment, before she started speaking slowly, choosing her words with care. "Let me start off with this... I know what my uncle did to you. He told me himself, as well as a great deal of his other schemes that he went into in the past. I was disgusted with most of the things that he did, but downright horrified when I learned what he did to you. Even now, a part of me wants to run inside and slam his head into a door frame a few times but... that wouldn't take back what he did. I understand completely that you do not trust my uncle, and you have every reason to hate him for what he did. I know it may be hard for you to believe that he's changed from the way he was, but he has. Do you think the gargoyles would have returned to the castle if he hadn't changed? He's making very real, concerted efforts to make reparations for what he's done before. Now, I'm not asking you to forgive and forget. I'm just asking for you to give my uncle even the smallest chance to prove that he's changed to you."

Talon sighed heavily. "He would have to do something downright earth-shattering to prove that he's changed to me. Now, personal feelings aside, we were asked to come here so we could help with your problem. So let me ask you something... Why would you prefer to stay here rather than going to that magical island to live with your dad?"

She rose an eyebrow. "You mean aside from the fact that I don't even know Oberon or _anyone_ who lives on that island? And the fact that it's an island means that there's no place to go. And aside from that..." She shook her head. "If I could show you what I was living like before and compare it to how my life's been these past couple weeks... No screaming, hitting, breaking things, having our power, heat, or hydro cut off, having to skip school so I didn't draw attention to myself when I had a facial injury, no more microwave dinners, holes in the walls, cockroaches the size of a small cat, mice or rat infestations, a thirty year old bed with all broken springs..." She sighed. "I didn't have any friends then, either. But since I came here..."

"Okay, I get it," Talon said, cutting her off. He was silent for a moment. He looked at Maggie questioningly.

"Can you ask her to restart her life over again when she was just getting settled into this one?" the winged cat-woman asked.

Turning to the tiger-mutate, Claw simply shrugged. Talon took that to mean that he'd go along with whatever he decided.

Another moment of silence later, and Talon nodded to himself. "Okay. Let's get back inside."

Once they entered the room, all the conversation ceased.

The former police officer started to speak. "Okay, Xanatos. We'll help you out on this one, but I'm going to be watching you like a _hawk_. And just keep in mind that I'm not doing it for _you."_

He nodded. "I can assure you, Derrik, that I have no intentions of deceiving you. And... thank you."

The panther-man snorted. "Well, anyway... I don't like the idea of all of us being here. I think at least the clones should stay down in the Labyrinth. There's some real slime balls that show up down there, and I wouldn't put it past them to start something when there's no one to keep an eye on them. It might be a good idea to bring Fang here, though..."

Brooklyn scowled in distaste now. "Why would you want to?"

"Well, he's not doing anything productive sitting in that cell. We might as well give him something constructive to do with his time."

Maggie looked at him. "We would need a way to keep him in line."

Puck grinned broadly. "I think I know what would work..." He quickly got up from the table and shot over to Mr. Xanatos, whispering in his ear.

The CEO nodded. "Excellent suggestion, Puck. Can you grab one and give it to Talon, please?"

"Righto!" Puck shot out the doors leading further into the castle. A few minutes later, he re-entered the room as Owen Burnett, holding a strange collar and a remote control. He handed it to Talon wordlessly before returning to Puck's form again.

Maggie was looking at the items. "What are these?"

Xanatos stepped forward. "They're prototype shock collars I am developing at the request of a couple prisons in the state. They are to be used as a means of controlling the more violent criminals in the hopes that it will reduce prison fights. All the preliminary tests have been positive, and I think it would work quite well in keeping your rebellious companion in line while he's here."

He nodded. "It should work. Claw and I will go back to the Labyrinth to fetch Fang and bring the clones up to date. I guess Delilah's in charge until we get back. Maggie, just relax here. We'll be back soon." The two male mutates left the room.

Lauren blinked. "Who's this Fang guy and why is he locked up?"

The remaining mutate looked at her. "Fang tried taking over the Labyrinth and was terrorizing its residents. We felt it would be less cruel to lock him up in the Labyrinth rather than leaving him to the police."

The girl almost said something, but decided against it. She wasn't sure how she felt about someone like him helping her out, but she supposed it couldn't really be helped.

Xanatos looked at Maggie. "Now, as I said earlier, we don't know exactly when Oberon is going to arrive, only that it's going to happen sometime in the next couple of days. You can have free reign of the castle, and if there is anything you happen to need, just tell me or Owen, and we'll see to it that you're cared for."

She seemed to nod a little warily.

Broadway stood up then. "Well, I'm making breakfast. You wanna join us, Maggie?"

She seemed relieved to have a distraction. "Yes, please. I haven't eaten in a while now." She exited the dining hall with the trio and Angela.

Puck stretched. "Well, there's not much to do until they get back." He cast a glance at Lauren. "Want to go back to the top of the castle... that is, if Mr. Xanatos has nothing for me to do?"

Xanatos shrugged now. "If I need you, I'll call you."

As the two of them exited the room, MacBeth smirked. "I daresay, those two are attached at the hip."

Fox smiled as she bounced Alex in her lap. "I think they're perfect for each other."

Hudson rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "Ye've got ta wonder though... Will the lass rub off on Puck, or will it be goin' the other way?"

Xanatos tried to imagine Lauren with a telltale mischievous grin that promised magic and mayhem and simply couldn't see it happening. Then he tried imagining Puck acting more like Lauren and was equally stumped. That told the millionaire one thing.

_Damn, it could go either way..._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Up on the top of the castle, Puck and Lauren were seated on the top step of one of the tower stairs. The two of them were talking about nothing in particular, with Puck occasionally throwing in a minor flirtation or two, instantly satisfying himself when his companion blushed furiously.

About an hour had passed since Talon and Claw had left, when Lauren saw three forms flying toward the castle once more. The two of them got to their feet and quickly made their way to the lower level, joining up with the others when they got there. The three mutates came in for a landing and Lauren examined the last of them.

She wasn't entirely sure which species of cat was used for him, but her best guess was something like a bobcat or a lynx. He currently had the collar on, and didn't look too happy about being here in the first place.

"C'mon you guys! Why are we wasting our time helping Xanatos?"

Talon scowled at him. "I told you, we're not doing this for _him._ We're doing it for his niece!"

"Yeah, yeah, so you told me. Where is that chick, anyway?"

Lauren wordlessly lifted a hand and wiggled her fingers in greeting.

Fang's eyes widened and his attitude changed almost immediately.

"Well, hello there!" He came up to her, a wide smile on his face. "Now, _you_ I can see myself protecting!" His arm went around her waist. "You are one sweet lookin' babe! Look out world, 'cause this cat's got a crush!"

Puck's expression darkened dangerously seeing this, but before he or anyone else could say or do anything, Lauren's foot lifted up and came right back down, square on the toes of the mutate. He howled in pain.

Lauren was scowling herself now. "Hands off, or kitty gets castrated!"

His hands were instantly up in the air and she removed herself from his side, returning to Puck. The full blooded fey still didn't look impressed with the criminal mutate, and she could almost hear his thoughts going through numerous forms of revenge.

Fang was currently jumping slightly, trying to relieve the pain in his now damaged foot. Talon rolled his eyes.

"Serves you right! I told you to behave yourself!"

Xanatos looked at Talon. "Did you bring him fully up to date?"

"Most of it. I don't think he quite gets the whole 'The King of the Faeries is coming to take his daughter away with him to his home on a magical island called Avalon' yet, but then again, it's a lot for anyone to take in."

Fang looked at Puck now. "So... this is one of those faerie guys?"

"Boy, nothing gets past you," Puck said with a roll of his eyes. He turned to Lauren. "Want to get in some flying practice?"

She nodded immediately. While she didn't know how long she'd be able to stay up in the air, right now any excuse was good enough to get away from this creep. "Yeah, I should get some more practice in." She gave the others a wave as she prepared to walk off with Puck. "I'll see you guys later."

"Hey, babe! When you and the pointy eared guy are done, why don't you and I go for a trip of our own?"

Lauren could almost swear she heard Puck _growl_ when those words came from Fang. Passing by Talon, she casually snatched the remote out of his hand, turned, pointed, and pushed the button. The results were immediate. An electrical current emanated from the collar and enveloped the mutate. He let out another howl. Once a few seconds had passed, Lauren released the button and smiled at her uncle.

"Hey, Mr. Xanatos! This thing works great! Give my thumbs up to your R&D team." She wordlessly handed the remote back to the panther mutate and continued on her way with Puck.

Brooklyn chuckled. "Either Puck is rubbing off on her, or Fang just brings out her sadistic side."

Fang was examining one of his arms and winced when he saw the fur was smoking. "Damn, that chick's brutal..."

Xanatos frowned at him. "Just consider yourself lucky that _she_ stopped you herself rather than having Puck or myself stop you for her."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Lauren shook her head and scowled when they were out of ear shot. "Do we _really_ need that guy?"

Puck was scowling as well. "I guess they think we do. And I suppose one more fighter is one more fighter. But if he touches you again..." He let the sentence hang. Then he shook it off and changed the subject. "Now, let's get airborne!"

Giving Puck a smile, she nodded and allowed him to lead her away.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The group was trying to make sure that Fang knew exactly what it was that was going on, when Maggie looked up and let out a gasp. The group followed her eyes and saw Puck and Lauren hovering over the edge of the castle, hand in hand. Then, as they watched, the fey gave the Halfling a little tug, and they were off.

Talon shook his head. "Incredible. So she can fly..."

Broadway nodded. "Yeah, but she's not too good yet. Puck says she needs some practice."

Fox smiled. "I don't know, I'd say she's doing damn good for it being her second time..."

As they watched, the girl seemed to lose control, but Puck quickly caught her and held her up against him.

Fang shook his head now. "So _that's_ why she's not interested in me! She's got the hots for that scrawny little pointy eared twerp!"

Xanatos glowered at him. "That 'scrawny little pointed eared twerp' could flatten you with a snap of his fingers and I _certainly_ approve of _him_ going out with Lauren over _you!_ Just watch that mouth of yours or I won't say a single word if Puck decides to take action against you!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Once Puck had caught Lauren from her little loss of control, he held her close and gave her one of his mischievous grins. "You know, this would be the perfect opportunity for me to steal a kiss from you... if we didn't have an audience..." Those last six words were spoken rather dryly. Casting a glance off to her right, Lauren saw the group still on the top of the castle, apparently now watching them.

She shook her head. "I guess we're the most interesting thing out here right now. Oh well. You could always steal a kiss from me before I go to bed tonight..."

"Hmmm... Would you happen to be going to bed soon?"

She smiled and rolled her eyes. "Give it an hour or so. I just want to see if I can stay up in the air for a while longer."

Unfortunately, Lauren was only able to handle staying in the air for a couple more minutes before her body _and_ Puck told her enough was enough for today. Feeling a little light headed and tired, she let Puck bring her back to the castle parapets. She tried not to feel disappointed in herself, remembering the magic she had performed earlier that day.

Deciding that she should get in a bite to eat before turning in, Lauren gave the group a wave as she headed toward the entrance to the castle with Puck at her side.

Then the voice rang out. "Hey, babe! Damn, you look just as good from the back as you do from the front! Damn nice ass!"

Puck and Lauren both stopped in their tracks. The full blooded Child of Oberon looked at his companion. "Can I turn him into a toad?"

She shook her head. "Now, Puck... I think an immortal trickster like you can do better than something as cliché as that." They started making their way to the group, making sure they were talking loud enough that the others could hear. "Let's be a little more original. Something like... a tick, a flea, maybe a cockroach? You know, something you can stomp on without leaving a huge mess to clean up." Then she shook her head again. "Actually, scratch the flea idea. He might get away and infest Cagney. I say go with the cockroach."

He grinned sadistically. "Cockroach it is!" He held his hand out toward Fang and the mutate immediately freaked.

He waved his arms around frantically. "Okay, okay! I can take a hint! I'll shut up!"

Puck frowned at him dangerously. "I'll say this to you once. _Never_ speak to Lauren that way again! And if you ever _touch_ her, then you'll be viewing life through the eyes of a cockroach! She is the daughter of our Lord Oberon and she deserves _far_ more respect than you've shown her thus far! Do you understand or would you like me to speak using_ smaller_ words?"

Fangs hands were both up, as a gesture of peace. "I hear you loud and clear! No touching and no cat-calls!" He giggled nervously at his own unintentional joke.

MacBeth shook his head as the two headed back inside, and they just caught his words. "You'll have no luck gaining the attention of a lady behaving like that, m'boy."

Once they were in the kitchen, Puck changed into Owen and started making the girl something to eat.

Lauren looked at him for a moment, her head cupped her hands. "Do you always change into Owen when you're cooking?"

He nodded. "It is necessary. Most of the utensils are made from iron, and so I can only handle them when I am human. Iron is very harmful to us."

She blinked, remembering something they had told her. "That's right! On Avalon, they defeated Oberon by ringing an iron bell." She frowned thoughtfully. "I wonder why they don't just do that again..."

"For a couple reasons. First, when Oberon comes I will be in my original form so I can protect Alexander should the need arise. We are also unsure what effect it might have upon you and Alex. You are half human and can handle iron physically, but we are not sure in what ways iron may yet affect you. It is best to err on the side of caution and not risk it."

She nodded a little absently, not able to recall any instance in her life where iron had harmed her, but then again... she couldn't remember ever hearing an iron bell ringing before either, so she guessed the others were right in not risking it. Also, if ringing an iron bell would hurt _Oberon_ then it most certainly would hurt (possibly even _kill_) Puck.

She sat there in silence until Owen placed a plate that contained a tuna sandwich and some salad on the side. The servant then cleaned up after himself while the young woman had her bedtime meal, before reverting back to Puck once again and joining her at the small table.

Lauren finished her meal and once the plate and utensils were in the sink, she let Puck lead her to her bedroom once more. Again, he changed her clothes for her, casting the same spell as he had the night before, and then his expression turned mischievous.

"Well, we're in your room now with no audience to embarrass us..." He stepped forward and ran his fingers down the side of her face, while his other hand settled on her hip. "Shall I steal a kiss from you now?"

She turned red and nodded.

Puck closed the distance between them and pressed his lips against hers. Again, it was not a terribly passionate kiss, though he made sure to use a little more movement in his lips and to have the contact last a few seconds longer than the last time. His arms were around her tiny waist, while her hands were on his shoulders.

When he ended the kiss, Lauren had her usual small smile firmly in place, and was again blushing furiously.

He leaned forward and brought his mouth by her ear. "Good night, Lauren. I'll see you in the morning."

She nodded a little sleepily. "Good night, Puck."

After she had laid down, the trickster spent a moment threading his fingers through her hair before settling them over her temple, and using his magic to lull her into sleep.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**Okay, another chapter is up! And hold on to your hats ladies and gents, because while I'm not 100 percent sure yet, methinks Oberon is going to make his grand entrance in the next chapter! Please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay, everyone! Here's Chapter 13! I know it's not very long, but I couldn't resist leaving it off where I did. *Gives an evil laugh***

**As I'm sure everyone knows by now, I do not own Gargoyles.**

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

For the first time since her arrival, Lauren woke up on her own. Blinking a little sleepily, she glanced at her bedside clock and saw it was nine-thirty in the morning. Stretching, she climbed out of bed and proceeded to get prepared to start her day.

Once she was dressed and her hair was in order, she opened the door to see Owen standing there, hand poised as if he had been about to knock. He blinked in surprise, seeing her up.

She smiled a little sheepishly. "I woke up on my own this morning."

He gave her a small smile. "I had intended on coming earlier, but Mr. Xanatos requested my assistance with..."

She waved it off. "You don't have to explain, Owen. Besides, I'm not injured anymore, so I don't really need bedside service, do I?"

He considered this. "I suppose not. Would you prefer me to bring your breakfast to the dining hall instead, then?"

She gave him her little smile and shook her head. "No, I'll eat it in my room since you're here with it already, but I can just eat in the dining room tomorrow morning."

He nodded. "Very well, Miss Lauren." She stepped aside to let him into the room, and then seated herself on the edge of the bed, and they went through the routine for what would be the final time.

"How are the mutates getting along with Mr. Xanatos so far?" she asked.

Owen glanced at her. "They are getting along surprisingly well, though the mutates seem wary of Mr. Xanatos. The only one who has been saying anything outright is Fang, and he has only gotten shocked for his troubles."

She rolled her eyes. "With the way he acts, that doesn't surprise me." She finished off most of her breakfast (which relieved Puck, though Owen said nothing), and then got to her feet once more. "Okay, I'm going to head to the dining room."

He nodded. "Very well. I have to return the tray to the kitchen, and then return to Mr. Xanatos. I apologize, but my alter-ego will have little opportunity to emerge today, as your uncle's schedule is rather extensive."

She nodded. "That's okay. Puck spent plenty of time with me these past couple days, and I know your primary duties are to Mr. Xanatos and Alex. We'll have more times to spend with each other."

Heading into the dining room, Lauren saw the mutates, MacBeth, the two detectives, Fox and Alex sitting at the table. Then she did a double take, seeing that one of those mutates was missing.

"Where's Claw?" she asked curiously.

Talon looked up at her. "Since the clones turn to stone during the day, I thought I'd send him back to the Labyrinth shortly before sunrise. Just in case some of the lowlife's that sometimes go through there decide to go smash-happy. He'll come back right after the sun goes down."

She nodded in understanding. Making sure the gargoyle clones were safe during the day was a good idea, considering some of the people that lived in the city.

Fang looked as if he was about to say something, but the panther mutate wordlessly held up the remote and his mouth shut once more.

MacBeth finished off his morning cup of tea and then got to his feet. "Well, I should be checking in with Mr. Xanatos to see if I can be of any assistance to him." He left the room without another word.

Fox got to her feet as well. "I have some business of my own. Daddy's coming down again today." She looked at Lauren, giving her an apologetic smile. "Do you mind watching Alex for a few hours? I wouldn't ask, but..."

The teenager shook her head immediately. "I'd love to watch him for a while! I haven't gotten to spend much time with Alex yet."

The woman smiled at her and set the toddler down. "Okay, sweetie. Go to Auntie Lauren and Mommy will see you later, okay?"

The toddler shot around the table with a squeal of delight. "Auntie Lauwen!" The girl picked him up and set him down on her lap with one of her rare genuine smiles.

"Well, good morning to you too, Alex! So, what would you like to do with Auntie today?"

He seemed to think hard for a moment and then smiled at her broadly. "Auntie Lauwen wead me a stowy?"

"You want me to read you a story? I think I can do that! Let's head to your room and see what books you have." She got to her feet herself now, giving the others all a nod, since her arms were currently full. Then she left the room and headed to her cousin's bedroom.

This was the first time Lauren had actually been in Alex's room. It wasn't as large as her bedroom, but it was just right for a child Alex's age. He had a small bed, a dresser, closet, a bookshelf stuffed with children's books, and toys galore. Glancing at his bed, Lauren couldn't help but squeal in delight when something caught her eye.

"Oh, my God! You have a stuffed Gargoyle toy! That's adorable!" She picked up the stuffed creature and handed it to Alex.

The boy took it and crushed it to his chest. "This is my Fuzzy!" he said, a wide grin on his face.

_Fuzzy?Awwwwww... I think that's the cutest thing I've ever heard..._

She smiled as she set him down and made her way to the book shelf. "Okay, Alex. Come on over and pick a book, any book!"

The toddler joined her and seemed to examine the books on the shelf for a long moment. Then he smiled and grabbed one handing it to her. She had to smile when she saw it was a shortened version of Peter Pan... whose title character was supposedly based on Robin Goodfellow... AKA: Puck.

Lauren sat on the bed, leaning up against his headboard. She picked up Alex and put him in her lap, and she started to read the story to her cousin.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Several hours later, Fox entered the entertainment area, and looked around curiously, unable to see Lauren or her son anywhere. She looked at the mutates, detectives and former King of Scotland.

"Do you guys know where Lauren and Alex are? I just finished up with Daddy for the day, and it's time for Alex to have his lunch."

Elisa looked up. "I haven't seen her since she went to read stories to him a few hours ago."

MacBeth nodded. "I have not seen them either, m'lady."

She smiled. "All right, I'll look around. I know she wouldn't take him far." She left the room and thought for a moment. All of Alex's books were in his room, so they might still be in there. Passing by her husband's office, she almost collided with him as he and Owen were exiting the room.

"Oh, sorry, David. I was just on my way to find Alex and Lauren. I asked her to watch him while I was busy with Daddy."

He nodded. "We were just on our way to find him ourselves. I need a few minutes away from all that paperwork."

She smiled. "Well, no reason we can't all go together." The three of them headed off toward the young Xanatos' room.

As they approached the room, they heard the unmistakable sound of Alexander laughing hysterically, closely followed by a more feminine, quieter laugh.

"Geez, Alex! You are one ticklish kid, aren't you? Here... I... COME!" Alex instantly exploded into laughter once more.

The three adults exchanged a look before Fox smirked and opened the door to her son's bedroom. On the bed, Alex's arms and legs were flailing madly as Lauren tickled his stomach, and the laughter was still coming at a steady pace. Then Lauren stopped and looked up, spotting the three adults standing in the doorway. She immediately turned bright red. Alex took her moment of distraction to get to his feet and to launch himself at her, throwing his arms around her. She instinctively held him back.

"Well," her uncle said. "It's good to see you two getting along so well. I don't think I've heard Alex laugh like that in months."

Fox smirked. "At least I should have no problems getting him down for his nap. From the looks of it, you've given him quite a work out."

Her blush deepened as she gently set Alex down on the floor. "Okay, Alex. I'll play with you more later. I think your mommy wants you now."

The boy shot across the room and into his mothers' arms. Fox noticed immediately that her son's features were flushed and he was out of breath from his uncontrollable laughter.

Lauren took in a deep breath and got up off the bed. "Well, I think I'm going to head to the atrium for a while. Maybe very cautiously practice my magic solo."

Owen nodded to her. "I advise you to take care if you do so, Miss Lauren," he said. "While your power is very impressive, you are still inexperienced."

She nodded. "Don't worry. I'm not going to try casting any actual spells, and if I try flying, I won't go more than a few feet off the ground."

He nodded stoically, apparently trusting in her judgement.

Her uncle smiled at her. "If you need me or Owen, we'll both be in my office for the next several hours. I just needed to take a quick break from the workload."

Lauren gave him her small smile in return. "Okay. I'll see you guys later." She exited her cousin's bedroom and headed off down the hall.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Lauren made a b-line for the oak tree that she and Puck had sat under the day before. Seating herself at its base, she let out a sigh of relief. For the most part, she just sat there enjoying the peaceful surroundings and let her mind wander, but she also took care to practice bringing her magic to the surface.

After sitting there and alternating between relaxing and manifesting her magic for a couple hours, she decided it was time to try something else. She had gotten to the point where it took her less than thirty seconds to access her magic, and decided that was good enough for now.

Lauren considered for a moment, pursing her lips in thought. She sure as hell wasn't going to try casting a spell if Puck wasn't with her. After seeing that boulder explode the other day, she wasn't too eager to cast spells alone until she was sure she had it down pat. Then she decided she should focus on the flight aspect of her magical abilities.

Moments later, she was standing in the clearing in the atrium, and started making her attempts.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been trying. For some reason, she could get her feet off the ground, but then she would start to descend and she struggled to stay up. Finally, after what felt like the hundredth attempt, she finally became frustrated.

She growled, rubbing her temples to try and stave off an oncoming headache. "Damn it! It wasn't this hard last night! What am I doing wrong?"

"You know, there_ is_ such a thing as trying too hard," came a voice from behind her. Turning, she blinked when she saw Coyote leaning up against the oak tree and watching her with a smirk on his face. "You're putting too much effort into concentrating, and that hinders your ability to direct your magic. Magic is supposed to be something natural, something that is a part of you." He came forward then. "Here, let me give you a few pointers."

He came up beside her and proceeded to give her instructions that were very similar to the ones Puck had first given her, while putting more emphasis on something Lauren hadn't thought of.

"Now, let's see you try it again, but this time remember to _relax._ Focus and concentration are fine, but if you feel yourself starting to physically strain, then you're definitely trying too hard."

She nodded, and then focused on making another attempt, this time under the watchful eye of Coyote.

This time she lifted up far more easily than before, and had little trouble staying afloat for a short amount of time. When she felt a now dreadfully familiar ache rear up in her temples, her concentration wavered and she simply dropped the three feet she was from the ground. She would have done a face-plant, but Coyote quickly caught her.

"Whoa, easy there! What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Trying to will her pounding headache away, she nodded into his chest. "It's happened before. Puck says it's because my body's not used to using magic like this yet. I guess that's my cue to take a break." A few seconds later, when the world stopped spinning so sporadically, Lauren quickly but gently pulled back from the fey, trying to fight off the redness in her cheeks. She cleared her throat softly before giving him one of her signature smiles. "Thank you."

His smirk was back in an instant as he nodded. "Not a problem."

Then she blinked and looked at him curiously. "So... what are you doing here? Don't get me wrong; you're great company, but I have a feeling you didn't drop by to give me friendly tips and tricks for doing magic."

His easy-going demeanour changed slightly as his smirk vanished. He let out a sigh.

"I wish I could tell you you're wrong, but you're not. Unfortunately, my unfinished business didn't take as long as I thought it was going to. This stop here is one of my last ditch efforts to stall a little longer before going back to Avalon. I can push it till nightfall, but no longer than that. Tonight I'll have to tell Lord Oberon about you." Then his eyes widened when he saw the woman's face turn ashen, and she started to sway slightly. He shot forward once more and quickly supported her. "Okay, calm down. Have a seat before you fall over." He gently lowered her onto the immaculate lawn and seated himself in front of her. He saw her eyes were closed and she was taking in deep calculated breaths. "Lauren, are you okay?"

She didn't nod, but she did give a response. "I'm just... trying to keep myself from having a panic attack..." she said in a quivering voice.

Seconds after she said this, Lauren felt soft fingertips brush against her forehead and she felt her tension diminish significantly. The oncoming panic lessened and she let out a shaky breath. Her eyes opened to see Coyote looking at her with concern.

"Better?"

This time she nodded and gave him a grateful look. "Yes. Thank you."

He breathed a sigh of relief and then gave her a gentle smile. "Okay. I know you're scared, but you've got to try keeping a clear head. Just remember that panicking is _not_ going to help if and when Oberon comes here."

She nodded, her brain going a mile a minute now that the initial shock of Coyote's news had worn off. Then she blinked. "Wait a minute. Nightfall?" She quickly looked at her watch and her eyes went huge. "Oh, God! That's only six hours away!" She was on her feet in an instant as she gave Coyote an apologetic look. "I have to go tell the others! We're practically out of time!"

The fey nodded. "I understand. I'll just slowly mosey my way to Avalon and make a couple impromptu stops on the way."

She paused and looked at him. "Coyote, just please make sure that the Gargoyles are awake when Oberon..."

He nodded. "They will be."

Lauren nodded in turn, still trying to keep herself calm. "Okay." She quickly ran forward and gave the fey a small kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for coming and warning me," she said quickly, not noticing his eyes had gone wide with her innocent thankful gesture. She gave him a quick wave and shot out of the atrium as quickly as her legs could carry her.

The three floors she had to go up to get to her uncle's office seemed to take an eternity and she was out the doors before they had even finished opening. Less than a minute later she was in front of the large doors that led into David Xanatos' main office. She immediately knocked, and the moment she heard her uncle call out to come inside, Lauren opened the door.

Her uncle and Owen were both by the desk leafing through a stack of papers. The CEO smiled when he saw her. "Well, hello Lauren. Taking a break from your practice?" Then he blinked, apparently picking up on the fact that she was upset. "Lauren, is everything okay?"

She shook her head a little numbly. "Coyote... showed up a few minutes ago in the atrium. He said that he's done with his business in Arizona and that he's going to report to Oberon tonight. He can't stall anymore."

Xanatos bit back a curse as he looked at Owen, whose eyes had gotten wider with the news. "Owen, please tell me we're at least _somewhat_ prepared... I know there's no way the force field is going to be up and running by tonight, but..."

Owen took out some sort of hand held device and tinkered with it a moment, viewing the screen. "Only two of the Iron Clan robots have been successfully repaired, though a third may be completed by tonight. Mr. Renard is currently in Air Fortress II, and therefore will be safe from any spells that Oberon may use against the residents of the city. He is prepared to come at a moment's notice."

Mentally taking stock of the situation, Xanatos winced. This was _not_ looking good. Oberon had easily taken out the Iron Clan the last time and he had almost brought down the Air Fortress. The lack of a force field was gnawing away at him as well, as most of Oberon's time had been spent trying to get past it the last time he had come.

His jaw set. Well, this time he had more allies to help him fight. And it was time to bring them up to speed on what they had just learned.

"Let's go talk to the others," Xanatos said, gently pushing his niece toward the door, Owen right behind them.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Within minutes, everyone was gathered around the dining room table, Puck back in place of Owen and seated right beside Lauren. The girl was currently rather pale and looked to be in a slight daze. The fey at her side held her hand firmly as Xanatos brought their guests up to date.

Elisa sighed. "Great. So, it's looking like tonight is the night."

MacBeth got to his feet. "I had best check my equipment and weapons before the battle."

Xanatos nodded and the former king left the room. Then he looked at Talon. "I know Claw was sent back to the Labyrinth until nightfall, but I think it would be for the best if we brought him back here. If you're concerned about the safety of the clones, then I can send a few of my men down there to watch over them for the rest of the day."

The mutate frowned. "Are they trustworthy enough to not smash the clones while they're still sleeping?"

"I wouldn't have suggested the idea if they weren't."

He hesitated, but then nodded. "Okay. We'll do that then. I know that Coyote guy said he'd stall until nightfall, but there's no point in taking any chances. The more we have here, the better our chances are."

Xanatos inclined his head to him. "I'll make the arrangements immediately after we're done in here."

Fang spoke up then. "Hey, probably a dumb question here, but... what exactly _is_ our plan of attack?"

Derrik snorted humourlessly from where he sat. "Actually, I think that's the most intelligent thing you've said since you've come here."

The billionaire looked at him. "When Oberon arrives, if he is insistent on taking Lauren, then we will do whatever we are able to do to stop him. Our original plan of hopefully having him drain away some of his magic getting past the force field has to be scrapped now. We have no choice but to face him fully powered. If we attack from all sides, we might stand a chance."

Puck was only barely able to keep himself from snorting upon hearing this, but after glancing at the pale woman at his side, he decided it would be for the best to not say anything. Lauren was scared enough without knowing the fey doubted the plan would work. As he glanced over at the woman again, he couldn't help but worry that this might be her last night with them. He tightened his hold on her hand slightly.

Fox stood up then. "I'll give Daddy a call and give him the update."

Her husband nodded and she left the room, still holding Alex in her arms.

David Xanatos turned to their resident trickster then. "Puck, you and I will go over what defenses we have and ensure they are all operating at peak efficiency. I don't want a single stone unturned now. This situation just got more dangerous and we need to be as prepared as we can be."

He nodded immediately. "Of course." He looked over at Lauren. "I'll see you later. I advise you to not practice your magic anymore today just in case you need to use it tonight."

She nodded back silently.

He gave her a gentle smile. "I know it's not easy, but just try to relax until nightfall."

A small, nervous laugh escaped her. "Easier said than done... but I'll try."

Xanatos looked at the group of them. "Okay, I'll get Claw back here immediately. The rest of you... I guess do whatever you can to prepare yourselves. This is not going to be an easy fight."

Matt sighed. "About the only thing me and Elisa can do is clean our guns and wait."

Maggie shrugged. "I guess all we can do is wait, period."

The CEO nodded. "Just try to keep yourselves occupied somehow until nightfall. We will go meet the gargoyles and bring them up to date then."

They all nodded and the billionaire left the room, Puck on his heels.

A few moments of silence passed before Lauren got to her feet. "Elisa, you mind if I go to your room and cuddle Cagney? It's something that just _might_ help me relax."

She nodded. "Help yourself. I'll probably be in there soon enough to do as Matt suggested and clean my gun."

Fang grinned. "Why make a trip when there's a perfectly fine cat to cuddle right he- **AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"** He was cut off mid-sentence when Talon wordlessly pushed the button with a roll of his eyes.

Lauren felt the corner of her lips turn up a tiny fraction when she saw this. She gave the panther-mutate a thanking nod and continued on her way.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

When Elisa entered her room about an hour later, she found Lauren sitting on the floor in the corner holding and petting Cagney in her lap with a somewhat dazed expression on her face. The detective came toward her immediately.

"Lauren? Are you okay?"

The girl seemed to come out of her daze upon hearing her voice. "I... I don't know. I'm starting to wonder if Mr. Xanatos' plan is a good idea. If Oberon's as powerful as everyone has been saying, then what makes him think that even an army of mortals can stand up to him?"

Elisa gave her a gentle smile. "We've overcome some incredible odds before, and I have no doubt that we can do it again. Oberon might be powerful, but he's not unbeatable."

She hesitated. "I know that but... do you guys have to _fight_ him? Doesn't it make more sense to just try talking?"

The police officer blinked and then knelt down to the girl's level. "Of course we're not going to attack him on sight, Lauren. We're going to try talking to him first. We're not going to fight unless _he_ starts it."

Lauren remembered what Puck had told her about her father and winced inwardly. She had a bad feeling that there was, indeed, going to be a fight.

She sighed and leaned her head back against the stone wall. "Why can't anything be easy? Why does there always have to be fighting?"

Elisa gave her a sad smile. "That's just the way life is, sometimes. All we can do is play the hand we're dealt, and some people just get shittier hands than others. You've been handed some damn bad cards, but now you've got an ace up your sleeve and a harder edge than ever before." When she saw the girl in front of her give a barely perceptible nod in response, she sighed and got to her feet. "Well, I'm just here to do maintenance on my gun. The last thing I need is for it to jam on me when Oberon gets here. Not that it'll do anything against him, but it's all I've got."

Lauren said nothing to this, and just continued to silently hold Cagney and tried to let the purrs relax her. Elisa spent a good half hour cleaning her gun and making sure it was in good working condition before she placed it back in its holster. At about the time she finished, the feline got up from Lauren's lap and stretched before making her way to her food dish. The girl let the cat go without complaint, though she was briefly tempted to hold the cat in place due to the tiny amount of comfort that she gave the young woman.

Lauren abruptly got to her feet with a sigh. "I've gotta find something to do or I'm going to go insane. The longer I'm sitting and waiting, the more I'm thinking, and I don't like what I'm thinking of." She gave the police officer a quick wave as she exited the room, not giving Elisa even half a chance to say something. When the detective left the room herself a moment later, Lauren was nowhere to be seen.

She sighed and shook her head. "I guess I can't blame her for bring restless. I think anyone would be stressed in her situation..."

"Hey, partner, talking to yourself is a bad sign..." Matt said in a half joking manner as he exited his own room.

Elisa ignored the jab and looked at him. "It's Lauren. I think this Oberon situation is getting to her and she's starting to freak out a little. She left my room a minute ago in a rush, saying she had to do something or she was going to go nuts waiting for nightfall."

He frowned for a moment and then sighed himself. "Well, maybe the full implications of the situation are just starting to hit her now. I mean, I think it's just really starting to hit _me!_ Elisa, think of what's going on here! We've got one guy who's practically God-like who wants to take his Half Fairy daughter away from her new home and bring her to a magic island that's filled with people... creatures... fairies... that she has very little knowledge about, and that she doesn't know personally. And the only thing stopping him is a bunch of mortals, gargoyles, and their technological toys!"

Elisa stopped and thought about that for a moment before shaking her head. "Oh, boy, now _I'm_ starting to think too much about it."

The two detectives regarded one another silently for a long moment before Matt broke the silence. "Want to go back to the rec room and play cards or something until nightfall?"

She nodded with a somewhat relieved smile. "Sounds good. Let's see if we can rope Derrik and the others into a game or two of poker."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Unable to ignore a rumble in his stomach any longer, David Xanatos and Owen Burnett made their way to the kitchens for a snack, but their talk was all business.

"How are the repairs on the third Iron Clan Robot going?"

"The repairs will be completed with just enough time to get its energy pack fully charged before sunset."

"And what is Renard's status?"

"Mr. Renard has had all of his autobots reprogrammed as I specified to him, and reports that he and Mr. Vogel are both prepared to engage in the battle at any time." The servant opened the door to the kitchen, but stopped in his tracks when he was inside. He and his employer were both surprised to see Lauren at the sink, doing up the dishes that Owen had been forced to put on the bottom of his priorities with the news of Oberon's sooner-than-expected arrival.

The girl turned when she heard the door open, and she blinked when she saw the two of them standing there.

"Miss Lauren, while I appreciate the sentiment..."

For the first time, the girl sent a dark look his way. "Not another word! I've been going half out of my mind for the past hour, and if I didn't do _something_ to keep me busy I was going to scream! Sitting around and twiddling my thumbs until Oberon shows up would make me _completely_ lose my fucking mind! I was usually the one who did the dishes in our house, and damn it! I need to do something at least resembling _normal_ for me to maintain my sanity until Daddy Dearest arrives!"

_Oh, boy, _Puck thought. _I think Lauren's stress has turned to fear, and she's trying to hide it with a strong front._

Owen felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Mr. Xanatos looking at him with a smile. "If it makes her feel better and less stressed, then I say leave her be. I think keeping busy and focusing on something mundane for a while might do Lauren some good."

Hearing this from Mr. Xanatos, Owen nodding and offered Lauren a small smile. "As you wish, Miss Lauren. The cleaning supplies are..."

"Storage room two doors down beside the tenth century tapestry. I found them while I was frantically looking for something constructive to do," she said with that tiny smile coming to her face, though this time it looked just a little strained.

Her uncle gave her a reassuring smile. "Well, I just came in here to get myself a snack. Then it's back to the office until sunset. You just keep on with what you're doing and do your best to pass the time." She nodded silently, giving him her teeny smile before turning back to the sink and continuing on with her chore. Owen prepared a quick sandwich for his employer, and, after a quick reminder that she could come to them if she needed anything, they left her to pass the time alone once more.

Needless to say, by the time she looked at her watch and saw that sunset was only minutes away, the kitchen was positively gleaming, and the light scent of lemon was in the air.

She was soon up on the parapets with everyone else, and the moment the gargoyles awakened, they were rushed inside and brought up to date. Lauren was currently pacing back and forth, far too restless to sit still at this point, and desperately taking in deep breaths to keep herself calm. The sun was down now. Oberon could be here at any second, and she felt her stomach starting to knot up anxiously.

She heard the others discussing tactics and battle plans, but it was going through one ear and out the other. A huge part of her wanted to vacate the castle, vacate the building, hell, vacate the fucking _city_ and find some place to hide. But she knew there was no point. Oberon would probably find her no matter where she ran. The only choice she had was to meet and face him tonight.

Ignoring the surrounding conversation, and only barely noticing that Fang had, yet again, been shocked for some snarky, sarcastic comment, Lauren made her way to one of the windows, hoping the fresh air would help calm her down even a little. Standing by the window for a long moment, she blinked when she suddenly saw dark storm clouds rolling in... almost seeming to settle right over top of the Aerie Building. She backed away from the window slowly, feeling all the blood rush from her face.

"Um... I don't suppose any thunderstorms were forecast for tonight?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Before anyone could say anything, Puck's head suddenly jerked up and his eyes went wide.

"It's Oberon. He's here."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

_Five minutes ago on Avalon..._

Lord Oberon sat upon his throne, his Lady Queen Titania at his side, both looking down upon Coyote whom they had sent out into the mortal world mere hours before. The magical burst they had all felt from Avalon had caused concern among his court, and certainly had warranted immediate investigation.

The native was currently upon one knee before his Lord and Lady, awaiting for permission to deliver his report.

Oberon nodded to him. "Coyote, tell us what it is you discovered."

He nodded. "Yes, my Lord. I discovered that the magical burst we all felt came from a young Halfling named Lauren."

He frowned, hearing this. "A mere Halfling who is able to generate magic on that scale? Are you absolutely certain?"

He nodded. "Yes. But the most shocking thing I discovered was that the woman in question... shares your blood. She's your daughter, Lord Oberon."

Titania's eyes went wide, while her husband's expression turned, at first confused, and then showed dawning realization.

The Queen of Avalon was the first to speak. "Daughter?" Then she allowed a smirk to come to her face as she gave her husband an amused look. "Why, Lord Oberon. What _have_ you been up to?"

He spared her a light glare, before turning his attention back to the trickster before them.

"Continue," he said simply.

Coyote gave him a single nod and did so. "From what I have been told, her mother and step-father recently died, and she was sent to live with her uncle David Xanatos in the Aerie Building..."

"Xanatos?" The name was said in a biting manner, and his Lord's expression darkened with this news. He stood immediately. "This is entirely unacceptable. I shall journey to the mortal realm and my daughter will take her rightful and proper place among my court."

The native looked up once again. "My Lord, there are a few more things that you should..."

"I shall return soon. Prepare a feast to celebrate my daughter's arrival." Before anybody could say anything else, the Lord of Avalon vanished from sight.

Coyote openly winced and had to resist the urge to bang his head against the wall with the sudden departure of his Lord Oberon. He hadn't even given the trickster a chance to finish his report!

He shook his head. "Shit. Lauren, I'm sorry."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

***Madly dodges a barrage of sharp pointy objects thrown by her fans* **

**Hey, I've gotta leave cliff-hangers every once in a while, and I couldn't think of a better place to put one than right where I did. And yes, the next chapter will have the much anticipated confrontation, and the end result.**

**Please, please review and tell me what you think!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Okay, here's the long anticipated Chapter 14!**

**And just to tell you right now, in case my author's note at the end of the previous chapter caused any such misconceptions... this story is FAR from over!**

**I do not own Gargoyles.**

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

The moment the words were out of Puck's mouth, her uncle immediately sprang into action.

"Fox, inform Renard! Lauren, stay here with Puck and Alex! Let's go!"

The girl's eyes went enormous. "_What?_" She barely noticed that her godmother handed Alex to Puck and charged out of the room.

For the first time she could remember, her uncle gave her a small glare. "Don't argue, just do as I say and stay here! We'll be back!" Without another word, the rest of them charged out of the room, making their way to the top of the castle.

The moment they were out of the room, Lauren frowned deeply. "Oh, _hell_ no!" She went to follow, but Puck caught hold of her wrist, holding her in place.

"Lauren, don't!" he said, his voice almost pleading with her.

She shook her head. "Puck, he's my _father_. I have to at least _see _him!"

"Mr. Xanatos will _kill_ me if I let you go!"

"I won't let him see me! And even if he _does_, just tell him I blasted you or something! Listen! You and I both know that they don't stand a chance against Oberon. Now, you can't step in and do anything this time, and I understand that. But even with my inexperience in using magic, if things get out of hand up there, at least I know I'm the one person Oberon won't _kill. _In other words, I'm the only person who would stand a chance of stopping him if he goes too nuts!" She gave him a pleading look. "I promise I won't get involved unless things get out of hand. _Please_, Puck! I _have_ to do this!"

His expression strained for a long moment before he released her wrist with a heavy sigh.

Lauren immediately gave a sigh of relief and offered him a grateful smile. "Thank you." Then, to his shock, she leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before she charged out the door.

He sighed again and looked at Alex. "Come on, Alex. No sense in staying here where it's moderately safe..."

When Lauren reached the top of the steps leading to the top of the castle, she pressed herself against the wall just inside the door and cautiously peered out. She had a wonderful view of the courtyard where the others were standing and waiting, looking up at the storm clouds which seemed to be spiraling in the air above the building. Noticing her uncle was once again in his gargoyle-armor, she had to wonder how the hell he had changed so quickly. Then, there was a loud crack of thunder as a lightning bolt struck the ground, and Lauren saw her father for the first time.

She couldn't help it as she felt one of her eyebrows slowly go up. The gaudy armor and over-sized cape were strange enough, but...

"He's blue," she murmured to herself, more than a little taken aback. "My father... is _seriously_ blue..."

"If that's the _only_ thing that shocks you about him, consider yourself lucky," Puck said quietly at her side, looking more than a little apprehensive about where they were. Alex was still being held securely in his arms, and was looking from his Uncle Puck, to his Auntie Lauren, and then to the scene outside.

The fey and Halfling joined in watching.

Her uncle was the first to speak. "Tell me, Oberon. What brings you to my home _this_ time?"

The Lord of Avalon looked over the group of them, as well as the three Iron Clan robots with a frown on his face. "From what I see, it is obvious you know exactly why I am here, Xanatos. It has come to my attention that my daughter now resides with you here. I have come to bring her to her rightful home on Avalon where she will take her place among my court."

He frowned now. "After not being there for her for seventeen years, what suddenly gives you the right to do such a thing?"

Oberon's frown deepened. "That is a mistake that I intend to rectify immediately. Now, relinquish my daughter to my custody, or suffer the consequences."

"Lauren has absolutely no interest in going to Avalon, and, as far as I know, absolutely no interest in knowing _you!_ Are you saying your daughter has no choice?"

"My daughter will want for nothing on Avalon, and has grown without knowing her proper place. Such a thing cannot be allowed to continue." Oberon pointed at them all. "This is your final warning. Give me my daughter immediately, or I _will_ take her by force!"

Lauren scowled hearing this. "My _proper place?_" She shook her head. "I think I can add 'arrogant' to his list of personality traits."

Xanatos frowned back at Oberon just as deeply. "You can try. But _we_ will defend her right to live where she _wants!_"

"You were given fair warning, human. Now, you will face me."

Everyone immediately sprang into action. The mutates, who could fly instead of merely gliding, immediately took to the air, along with the Iron Clan. MacBeth, who had been sitting on some sort of hovering machine, was on the move, and the gargoyles raced to the edge of the building to get themselves airborne. She could tell just by looking at them, that Matt and Elisa felt ridiculous trying to fight Oberon with nothing but hand-guns, but were prepared to give it a shot. Air Fortress II was easily seen approaching the building, and she saw small robots being released from a hold beneath it.

Then, a light green glow emanated from Oberon... and every single plant and tree on the top of the castle seemed to take on a life of their own. They writhed and extended, looking almost snake-like in their movements as they reached out for those who were in the air and on the ground. Gargoyles and mutates alike dodged madly, and those stuck on the ground were equally desperate.

The two detectives each managed to get only a few shots in before they were both knocked to the ground and blades of grass wrapped around their wrists, keeping them from doing anything more.

Bluestone scowled. "Some help we are! Not even five minutes into the fight and we're helpless! Even when we _do_ get shots off from our guns, they don't do jack shit!"

Struggling with her bindings a moment, and trying to reach into one of her pockets, Elisa frowned. "We're not finished yet!" With a little effort, she managed to get into her pocket and pulled out a Swiss Army Knife and quickly cut the bindings before jumping away from the grass and tossing the knife to her partner who quickly released himself.

"Hey, partner, doesn't this fall under a concealed weapon?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Elisa rolled her eyes. "If there's one thing I've learned since meeting the guys, it's that you can never be too prepared. Besides, it's for emergency use only."

"Your secret's safe with me. Now let's try this again!"

While Elisa and Matt tried to somewhat regroup so they could attack from another angle, the four mutates closed in on Oberon from the air, all unleashing their electrical attacks.

Oberon gave a jerk when the attacks hit him, but otherwise didn't seem to be phased from the attack. He lifted his arms and a huge gust of wind sent all four of them flying back. Talon and Claw regained control of themselves after a few seconds, but Maggie and Fang didn't have that much luck. Brooklyn rushed to help out the female mutate, while Broadway rushed to the second one before returning to the battle.

_Okay,_ Lauren thought uneasily. _So far so good. They haven't hurt Oberon yet, but he hasn't done much damage to them either... yet..._

MacBeth took his turn then, closing in on Oberon and firing one of his many guns, this one apparently a laser. Unfortunately, the difficulty of aiming while flying on his contraption showed as he missed Oberon completely on several occasions, but the one hit he got in his shoulder actually caused him to wince in pain. The pain was apparently short lived, however, and replaced with an angry retaliation of ice which immediately froze the hover-vehicle. The former king leapt off the device when it started to plummet, and fell the equivalent of two stories, landing awkwardly and letting out a cry of pain.

Sensing that Lauren was about to rush out to help, Puck quickly grabbed her arm. "Don't worry about MacBeth! Remember, the only way he can die is if he and Demona kill one another. He'll be fine in just a minute."

She hesitated, but nodded. Looking at her, Puck saw her expression straining, twisting with worry as her eyes were locked on the battle taking place outside.

It didn't take long before the newly repaired Iron Clan Robots joined MacBeth's device as scrap metal. Lauren had her hands balled into tight fists, and he could see her trembling slightly, though whether it be caused by anger, worry, outright fear, or some combination of the three, was anybody's guess.

_Oh, no... I think this is bothering her even more than I thought it would..._ Puck thought uneasily.

It wasn't long before the trio, Angela and Hudson were all entangled in the living shrubbery. Hudson had, at first, sliced at the offending projections madly until one branch knocked the blade from his hand, and he was immediately immobilized.

Goliath, for his part, was battling off the lively plants, and managed to break free of them after being almost completely wrapped up. He dive bombed Oberon with a blood-chilling roar, and only got flung back with a wave of her father's hands. The leader of the clan found himself fighting a losing battle against thicker branches, and outright _tree trunks_, and it wasn't long until he was helplessly entangled.

Elisa and Matt were quickly restrained once again, this time with Elisa's arms being held behind her back. Both of them struggled furiously, but their bindings held them fast.

The autobots controlled by Renard made a valiant effort of their own, but couldn't withstand the onslaught of ice sent to them by Oberon. They plummeted to the ground, some of them only barely missing the two detectives on the ground. Moments later, the massive bulk of Air Fortress II was sent into a seemingly slow spin with hurricane strength winds generated by the Lord of Avalon.

The mutates were able to get off one more attack, Claw and Maggie missing their target completely, before they, too, were immobilized by the plants.

The only fighters able to do anything now were Xanatos, Fox (who had joined them from another entrance only moments after the fight began) and MacBeth, who made the next attack by throwing strange, clear balls at Oberon. These orbs generated a thick cloud of smoke, but the former King quickly donned some strange goggles to allow him to see, and started firing off shots into the smoke.

Lauren couldn't tell if he got in any hits, but Oberon wasn't going to just stand there and take it. Her father took to the air, his expression angry now. Before MacBeth could take aim to get in another shot, more branches shot forward, knocking the gun from his hands, and quickly restraining him. Fox, unfortunately, wasn't even able to get off a single shot from her own gun before finding herself in the same situation.

Being the last fighter left, Xanatos scowled and sent a barrage of laser fire toward Oberon. His expression was determined, but Lauren knew it was an act of desperation. "Damn it! You're not taking her!"

Several of the shots hit the Fey King, but did little more than make him angry. One blast of wind later, and her uncle was thrown flat on his back. Oberon touched down and glared at the human.

"I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR INTERFERENCE, MORTAL!" His voice boomed almost like thunder when he said this, and he held his hand out toward David Xanatos.

Time almost seemed to slow down, and for a moment, Lauren was frozen. She heard various cries of "Xanatos", one cry of "David", but one terrified cry at her side made the girl come to a decision.

"DADDY!"

Alex's voice hit Lauren almost like a physical blow, and her paralysis instantly shattered. She felt the flame inside her as she yanked herself out of Puck's hold and was across the courtyard like a shot. The very second she was between her uncle and Oberon, she didn't merely stick her hand in the fire... She dove straight into the heat and her power surged to the surface.

Instantly the markings returned around her eyes, her pupils vanished, her ears turned pointed, and the increasingly familiar green glow exploded into life around her as she faced off with Oberon. The initial surge of power was powerful enough that for a few seconds, her hair seemed to stand straight up, and a light breeze struck her father, making his cape billow slightly behind him.

Thankfully, the blue man stopped whatever it was he had been about to do, and his hand dropped to his side. His eyes narrowed slightly as his eyes trailed over her, taking in his daughter for the first time in his life.

Lauren was the one to break the sudden silence. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Puck had cautiously stepped out of the doorway.

"If you want to hurt him or anybody else... then you'll have to go through me, Oberon."

Her uncle sat up from behind her. "Lauren! I thought I told you to stay inside!"

She cast him a bare glance. "And where would you be now if I _had_?" She shook her head. "I grew up without a father, Uncle David. I'm not going to let Alex go through the same thing."

Finding himself unable to refute this, Xanatos said nothing.

The teenager turned her attention to Oberon once again. His position and posture had not changed a bit through their small conversation.

"So... you're Oberon. I've heard a few things about you, but you're still not quite what I expected."

He snorted. "I can only _imagine_ the tales you were told, daughter."

"Well, Coyote obviously told you about me... and you've decided that I'm to go to Avalon, regardless of what I want? No matter what anyone here wants or says?"

"Avalon is your rightful home, Lauren. It is where you belong."

She frowned. "I disagree with you. I was _born and raised_ here in the mortal world. And quite frankly, I'm disgusted that you believe you have any right whatsoever to come barging into my life after seventeen years of complete absence, and tell me what I'm going to do. I have no desire to go to Avalon, and very little interest in knowing _you._"

Oberon frowned back at her. "Know this, daughter: It is not a matter of what you want; it is a matter of what is _best_ for you. And I _will not_ leave the mortal realm without you."

Now she scowled. "You know fuck all about what's best for me! But since you have no intentions of backing down from this, then you've left me with no other choice..." She closed her eyes and seconds later, she returned to her fully human form. "...but to go with you peacefully."

Everyone was instantly gobsmacked. A chorus of "Lauren, no's" fell upon her ears, but she put a stop to it.

_"You guys can't beat him!_" she hollered out. "And I'm not deluded enough to think that I would stand a chance against him. I could hurt him, sure, but all that would do is make him angrier than he is now, and make the situation all that much worse."

Oberon stepped forward then, placing a hand on her shoulder, and instantly making her stiffen. He gave her a small smile. "You are very wise, daughter. And know that on Avalon, you will have the sort of life you could only dream of."

_I somehow doubt that,_ she thought with some sadness. Now fighting to keep her strong front and to keep her throat from constricting, she managed to ask: "Can I have some time to get some things together and say goodbye?"

"As was done when last I was here... you may have one hour to say your goodbye's, daughter. And this time..." He sent a glare to a now downcast Xanatos. "...I trust there will be no surprises when I return?"

"There won't be," Lauren said quietly. "I'll make sure of that personally."

He nodded. "Very well, then. Make your preparations and bid your farewell's, and I shall return for you soon." He stepped back from her and then vanished. The instant he did so, the courtyard returned to normal and all the captives were released.

Lauren felt tears threatening to spill from her eyes and she quickly wiped them away and took in a deep, shaky breath. "I have to go get ready," she said quietly. She turned without another word and headed inside, everyone right behind her.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Lauren, you don't have to do this!" her uncle told her for what felt like the hundredth time.

She sighed irritably now, stuffing her new books into a duffel bag. "Uncle, let me lay out my options for you: I could stand by and watch you all try to take on Oberon _again_ and get your asses handed to you, or I go with him peacefully and save everybody from having to fight a losing battle."

"You don't _know_ that!" he tried again.

She stopped what she was doing and turned to the leader of the Gargoyles, who was standing beside Elisa with his massive arms across his chest. "Goliath. When you guys faced Oberon on Avalon, Titania reduced Oberon's strength so you guys would have half a chance in hell of winning the fight, correct?"

He nodded. "Yes. And even then, he defeated us. It wasn't until he brought us back to the palace that the Princess and Tom used the iron bell against him and secured the victory."

Then she turned to Puck and almost had to turn away when he saw his completely devastated expression, but she had to make her point hit home. "And when Oberon tried to take Alex, was his power not reduced due to his efforts to get past the force field?"

He hesitated. "Yes..."

"And even _then_ there was no actual victory. It was only when Fox showed that she could manifest her own magic that he allowed Alexander to stay here. This time, Oberon is _fully powered._ I don't think that half an hour is going to be enough time to think of a way to weaken him, short of using an iron bell, and I was already told that doing _that_ is far too dangerous because of me, Alex, and Puck being here, too. We can't risk it."

Fox stepped forward then, holding an obviously confused Alexander in her arms. "But Lauren... we might never see you again..."

The girl snorted now. "You'll see me again, you can bet your bottom dollar on _that!_ If Oberon thinks this is permanent, he's going to get a rude fucking awakening. I'll try talking to him first. I'm his daughter, so maybe he'll listen to me and try to see where I'm coming from."

Brooklyn hesitated. "And what if he _doesn't_ listen to you?"

She looked at him. "Then it'll be time for me to turn on my bitch-switch. I told him I'd _go_ to Avalon peacefully. But I doubt Oberon has ever had to deal with an angry, rebellious teenager before. If I have to, I'll make him banish me like he did to Puck."

Said fey snorted now. "He's not going to banish his own daughter."

"I'll think of something, but I'm not going to roll over and simply accept this. I _will_ be back, no matter what it takes!"

Puck sighed inwardly when he heard her say this. _By the powers, I really, really wish I could believe her when she says that..._ Just the thought that he might never see her again after tonight... He shook his head, having a feeling that he was going to be taking much comfort in being the almost emotionless Owen in the weeks and months ahead. The Puck felt his emotions wholeheartedly, and faced with this new situation, he thought he was beginning to understand what humans meant when they said "heartbreak."

Lauren placed her last book into the bag and zipped it up.

Mr. Xanatos' expression was undeniably sad, but then he frowned. "Lauren." He reached up behind his neck with both hands and pulled a necklace of some sort from beneath his armour. "I want you to hang onto this for me... but I'll be expecting it back when you come home." He placed the item into her hand and when she looked down at it, she saw a locket. She looked at him curiously and he continued on. "I got it from your mother when I last saw her at your baby shower. I wore it to the funeral, and I haven't taken it off since that time... until now."

Opening the locket, she saw both a younger version of her mother, and of her uncle, each in their own tiny frames. It was the first time she had ever seen her mother with an actual smile on her face. "Uncle David... I don't know what to say. I'll take care of it... and you _will _get it back."

Then she felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see Puck looking at her, his expression showing indecision. "Lauren... I... I uh..."

She blinked. "What is it, Puck?"

Finding himself looking into those eyes, he cast a quick glance at the others, and his expression strained. "Ah, the HELL with it!" Saying those words, he cupped Lauren's face and immediately gave her the fullest, most passionate kiss he could, a kiss that spoke of a deep longing and even a little desperation.

From his place next to the work desk, Fang opened his mouth, but MacBeth put a hand on his shoulder.

"I _really_ wouldn't, m'boy..." he warned the mutate, no doubt guessing that anything said by the cat hybrid would result in a nasty surprise from Puck.

Taking the hint, Fang shut his mouth again.

Finally breaking away from the kiss, the fey pressed his forehead against Lauren's and looked her straight in the eyes. "Come back to us."

The woman was breathless and obviously surprised by the suddenness of the kiss. She nodded to him, once again fighting to keep her throat from constricting. "I'll be back." Did she just hear Fox sniff?

The former Pack member set her son down. "Your Auntie Lauren is going away for a while, Alex. Go say goodbye." The moment he was out of her arms, she quickly wiped at her eyes.

Hearing this, the boy shot across the room and Lauren immediately picked him up and hugged him tightly. "You be a good boy for your Mom, Dad, and Uncle Puck, okay? And I'll be back soon. I promise."

Alex held her back just as tightly as he nodded into her shoulder. "I love you, Auntie Lauwen!" he said, his voice suggesting that he clearly didn't understand the full scope of the situation, but trusted that his Auntie would be back as she said.

Angela came forward then. She offered the Halfling a somewhat sad smile. "When you get to Avalon, tell the Princess, Tom and my rookery brothers and sisters hello for me."

Lauren nodded. "I will. You keep that big lug of yours out of trouble while I'm gone."

Elisa looked at her watch and winced openly. "Only ten minutes to go."

The teenager sighed hearing this. "I guess I'd better get up to the parapets, then. I don't think Oberon is the sort of person who likes to wait." Before she could reach for her bag, there was a flash of light, and Owen grabbed it for her.

"Allow me, Miss Lauren," he said stoically, though his voice seemed a little stiffer than usual.

She blinked, a little surprised at his sudden transformation, but then... she guessed Puck was having just as hard a time with this as she was, and couldn't bear to see her go as himself. She gave him her small smile and nodded. "Thank you, Owen."

He nodded back to her in his stoic way, but said nothing in response. Lauren slowly left the room and made her way to the top of the castle, everyone right behind her. Once they were standing in the courtyard, her uncle stepped up to her, and pulled her into a hug. She saw Fox standing close by, handing Alexander to Lexington.

While he held her tightly, Xanatos spoke in Lauren's ear. "I'm... sorry, Lauren. I... did the best I could, but my best wasn't good enough to protect you from Oberon."

She shook her head immediately. "Don't be sorry. You've done more for me in the past two weeks than anybody has in the entirety of my life. I won't forget that. And stop talking as if I'm not coming back. You'll see me again, and that is a promise."

The millionaire tightened his hold slightly before letting her go and giving her a kiss on the forehead. The girl reciprocated this by kissing him on the cheek before finding herself in Fox's arms.

The former leader of the Pack held her just as tightly as her husband had, but said nothing. After a few long minutes, she finally released the teenager. "You'll never hear me tell you anything like this again, but... raise _hell_ on Avalon if you have to! Just come back as soon as you can!"

Lauren nodded into her shoulder, once again fighting to keep her throat from constricting. "Keep my bedroom ready for when I get back."

Nodding herself now, Fox pulled away.

The girl made her way to the mutates now. She sighed as she looked at them. "Thank you for coming to help."

Talon nodded to her. "It wasn't any big deal, and it was an excuse to get out of the Labyrinth for a night or two. Besides, we couldn't _not_ do something after knowing all the details. I'm just sorry that it worked out this way."

She shrugged. "Well... it could have turned out worse than it did. When I get back, I look forward to getting to know you guys better."

"Hey," Fang started, a grin on his face. "If you're really interested in..."

Talon held up the device once more and cleared his throat loudly. Fang got the message and shut up.

Lauren shook her head now, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "If it makes you feel a little better, Fang, I appreciate that you were here and trying to help... even though you irritate the hell outta me."

The mutate blinked and then shrugged with a wide grin. "Hey, it's a step up from where I was yesterday..."

This time she did roll her eyes, but made no further comments to him as she moved on to MacBeth.

"Thank you, too, MacBeth. Even though things didn't turn out the way everyone hoped they would, I appreciate your efforts."

"The pleasure was mine, m'lady, but allow me to give you a piece of parting advice: When you get to Avalon, be wary of the Weird Sisters... but listen to anything they might have to say, for their messages _always_ carry a glimpse into your future, be it for good or ill."

She nodded. "I'll remember that." Then she was in front of the trio and Angela who was at her mate's side once more. "You guys stay out of trouble while I'm gone, and feel free to use the gaming system and computer in my room if you want."

Lex nodded. "I'll keep your computer updated while you're gone."

Her goodbye's to the detectives and the remaining gargoyles were pretty much standard "Take care, and I'll see you later's", but when she got to Owen, she did something she had not even considered doing before... but knowing that Puck and Owen were one and the same, she gave him a sweet little kiss on the cheek, making his eyes widen in surprise.

"I'll be back, Owen. It might take me a little time, but you _will_ see me again."

The stoic major-domo merely nodded, his face back to being expressionless once more, so she couldn't tell if he honestly believed her words or not.

Almost as if he had been watching and timing it to the moment she had said her final goodbye, Oberon appeared in a flash of light. Lauren had to wonder for a moment if the huge lightning and thunder act from earlier had just been his idea of making a dramatic entrance or if it had been necessary to do so to get here from Avalon.

Her speculation stopped when he locked his gaze with her own. "It is now time for us to go, Lauren. I trust you have prepared and finished your goodbye's?"

Feeling her throat constricting, she nodded silently and wordlessly accepted her bag when Owen handed it to her. Feeling as if she was on auto-pilot, she made her way to her father's side, and she swore she could _feel_ her stomach sinking lower and lower with each step she took. She turned to face her friends and family once more, as she felt Oberon's hand drop onto her shoulder.

She managed to get out one more word just as she felt a few tears start to fall.

"Goodbye."

Then there was a flash of light, and father and daughter vanished.

The suddenness of their departure almost seemed to stun the group, but Fox came out of it first.

"She's... gone..." Her voice cracked and her husband immediately pulled her close to him. While Xanatos was making a valiant effort to hide it, he was fighting off tears of his own. Owen simply looked off to the side, his frown deeper than normal.

Angela came forward then. "Actually... I believe her when she says she'll be back. Like she said, she's Oberon's daughter so he might be more inclined to listen to her than to any mere mortals. Given her history, I think she might be able to get him to reconsider his decision. He may be stern and stubborn, but he's not heartless."

Elisa sighed. "Yeah, but the question is, how long will it take her? Remember, time passes differently on Avalon, so it could take months or even _years_ here in the mortal world for her to get Oberon to see things her way."

Brooklyn blinked then. "Hey... come to think of it... did we even _mention_ that to Lauren when we were explaining things to her?"

Xanatos blinked himself now. Then he frowned as he tried to think back on that night. "I'm... not sure, actually. There was so much to tell, we were bound to forget some details..."

Fox's eyes were wide now. "Well, if she doesn't know, then we better hope she finds out quick! Otherwise we could be old and grey by the time she comes back!"

The former King of Scotland frowned a little himself now. "Given that she is now on Avalon, I don't think it will take her much time to learn of that detail. My worry is how she might react when she realizes she doesn't have as much time as she _thinks_ to get through to her father."

Owen Burnett listened to this conversation, and thought back to the conversation they had had with her the night she revealed her powers. He mentally started kicking himself repeatedly when he realized that that one, ever so important detail had indeed been omitted from their long narrative. Instantly he felt his stomach drop. Oberon was going to be hard as all hell to get through to, and knowing now that the Halfling didn't know about the time differences... He couldn't help but think that the chances of him seeing her again had just dwindled into almost pure fantasy.

That thought almost pushed even the stoic Owen over the edge and he quickly made his way into the castle, needing to find something else to occupy his mind.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

***Screams and starts running madly from the rabidly enraged fans* THIS IS NOT PERMANENT! Don't kill me! Lauren and Puck WILL be with one another again, though it won't be for a few chapters, so just be patient! Besides, isn't half the fun finding out exactly HOW Lauren convinces Daddy Dearest to let her go back? And, as a teeny hint... Oberon has _another_ reason for wanting Lauren on Avalon, rather than in the mortal world... but you're not going to find out what that reason is for a looong time yet.  
**

**Oh, and as a word of warning... the next couple of chapters are going to be freaking LONG. I'll try having them up as soon as I can, though.**

**Review please!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay, everyone! Here's Chapter 15!**

**Oh! And kms5665: If you want to see what the marking's around Lauren's eyes look like, go to my deviantart page and you'll see several artworks based upon this story, and a few of them have the markings on her. The address is in my profile close to the top. Just Copy and Paste and have a blast! **

**As a side note, I'm going to be going back to school next month... It's going to be four days a week, so it's not too bad, but it's going to slow down my writing, unfortunately. I'll try my damndest to get the next chapter out before then (my school starts April 11****th****), but we'll see how things go.**

**I do not own Gargoyles. Just Lauren.**

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Upon finding the castle gone, and her standing in a hallway in an unfamiliar building, the girl couldn't help it as she quickly turned her face from Oberon's sight and felt some tears fall. Her throat was constricting again, and she found herself fighting back the urge to break down into a sobbing fit.

A few seconds passed before Oberon put his hand back on her shoulder. "I understand that things will be difficult for you at first, Lauren. But you will adjust to the transition. Now, push your old life from your mind and dry those tears. It is time for me to introduce you to my court... and for you to take your place among its members."

The young woman took in a deep breath and nodded, quickly wiping away her tears.

_Okay,_ she thought_. Just suck it up and fight through it for a few days. Once it's clear that I'm fucking miserable, I'll talk to Oberon and see where things progress from there._

Her father held a hand out toward her. "Now, before we proceed, you should be more presentable."

Before she could even think to ask what he meant, she felt a tingling sensation over the surface of her skin. In only a second, her T-shirt and jeans had been replaced with a sleeveless, low cut, floor length green dress. Reaching up, she felt the unmistakable form of a tiara on her head. She winced instantly.

_Okay, don't spaz... Oberon doesn't know that I hate dresses..._she thought to herself, fighting off her instinctual urge to go off on a tangent.

"Um... Oberon, I don't think..."

Before she could get out another word, he nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Yes, this is _much_ better. Come. Let's introduce you," he said, sounding far too happy for Lauren's tastes. Before she knew it, he had his hand on the small of her back and was leading her through a door.

She was now in a large room with possibly the longest table she had ever seen in her life. Every seat seemed to be occupied and for a moment Lauren couldn't help but examine a few of the inhabitants. Most of them looked human, but others... She recognized Anubis instantly, for instance. It was rather hard to miss the jackal-headed death god. And then she spotted who could only be Anansi... a large spider the size of an SUV in his own place at the table. The woman immediately had to avert her eyes and tried not to shudder in disgust.

She also caught a glimpse of Coyote, who was seated between an old man dressed in furs and armour, and a woman in an almost raggedy dress, long, wild, purplish hair and... Lauren blinked. Did she have a metal plate over her mouth?

Before she could further examine any of the occupants, her father was leading her forward, and for the first time Lauren noticed three thrones at the head of the room, with their own table in front of it. She saw a beautiful woman with blue skin and dark pink hair sitting on the far right, and the two other ornate chairs were vacant.

_Oh, shit,_ Lauren thought. _Please tell me that Oberon and Titania have another child that I'm not aware of and that that throne isn't for me..._ She felt her stomach sinking as they approached the head of the room. She saw the woman who must be Titania looking at her with open curiosity.

Now standing at the head of the room, her father addressed his court, one hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"My Children!" All conversation in the room ceased immediately. Her father continued on. "Here before you stands the newest member of our court. Let us all feast to welcome my daughter, Lauren, to her new home here on Avalon!"

She cringed immediately with the very public introduction, and wished a hole would open up beneath her when she saw everyone's eyes fall upon her. Then the room erupted into cheers and applause, as a huge bounty of food simply appeared on the tables before them. The conversation immediately flared up once more.

The girl breathed a slight sigh of relief and said nothing as Oberon led her to her throne. Feeling as awkward and out of place as ever before, she seated herself, gave Titania a polite greeting when Oberon introduced her to his daughter, and tried to keep herself calm. It didn't escape her notice that her plate was already filled with food and there was a goblet with some kind of liquid in it.

Lauren cast a glance up toward the main bulk of the room and immediately had to look down once more when she saw several of the fey looking at her, some of them obviously conversing about her to their friends. She felt her stomach knot up nervously. Looking down at her plate, she knew that no matter how mouth watering it might look and smell, she highly doubted that she was going to be able to hold much, if anything, down. Better to not bother trying right now, and save herself some embarrassment.

She picked up the goblet and took a swig. Immediately she had to fight to keep herself from spitting it out once again. She had never tasted anything liquid with such a strong flavor. She knew that it had to be fit for consumption, but she had no clue exactly what it was. Better safe than sorry.

"Um... I'm sorry, but what is this?" she asked quietly. Oberon paused and looked at the cup she was indicating.

"That is red wine, straight from my own private collection." He frowned slightly, seeing her expression. "Is it not to your taste, daughter?"

She pushed the goblet away from herself with a shake of her head. "I don't drink."

"You are aware that mortal laws do not apply here, are you not?"

She nodded. "I know. It's not a matter of my being underage, it's a matter of my own personal preference. I have no intentions of ever drinking alcohol. I can settle for the water."

"And your food? You have not yet touched it either."

She was barely able to keep herself from scowling when she said the next words. "I'm not hungry."

His frown deepened slightly. "I would appreciate it greatly if you would at least attempt to have a few bites, daughter. You are half mortal, and need sustenance."

Fighting back the incredibly tempting urge to dump her wine in her father's lap, she simply nodded and slowly picked up her fork. Oberon seemed satisfied seeing this, and returned to his conversation with Titania.

Lauren wasn't even sure how many bites of food she had. It couldn't have been more than five, and she found herself just pushing the remaining food around in her plate. She was sure that the food must be absolutely delicious, but to her mind, it simply tasted like cardboard, and her stomach didn't appreciate her attempted eating while under stress.

_If Oberon wants to push the issue, then it's HIS fault if I throw up,_ Lauren thought to herself.

Not long after she had given up on taking another bite, two voices seemed to stand out above all the rest and before Lauren even had a hint of what was going on, two of the fey were engaged in a fight, using both physical moves and magic.

The Halfling was horrified to see this, and turned to Oberon. Surely he wouldn't let something like this go on without saying anything!

Her horror turned to disbelief and disgust when her father openly praised the spectacle, referring to it as a "marvellous sport", and seemed to be encouraging the two of them to continue on. Hearing the others all joining in with the cheering, Lauren had had enough.

"I can't do this!" The instant the words were out of her mouth she was on her feet and charged out a side door... one that lead straight to the outside of the palace. Titania's eyes followed the young woman as she made her quick exit.

"I don't think you and your daughter share the same taste in entertainment, my lord," she said, a small smirk in place.

Oberon shrugged, showing little concern. "A minor issue."

Neither of them noticed two members of their court vacate their seats and exit the palace.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Outside, Lauren was positively _seething_. Without even thinking twice about it, her tiara was off her head and she had tossed it aside, hoping to never see the stupid thing again. Whether he knew it or not, Oberon was striking out left and right, and the sad thing was, he was actually _trying_ to make her _happy_ in his own twisted way.

First the damn dress, then the public introduction, sitting her on a fucking _throne_, the wine, and then his taking enjoyment out of other people physically _fighting..._

Right now she wanted to scream, cry, hit something... just pitch an epic fit. She blinked when she felt the fire within her starting to rise as if it had a mind of its own.

She forced herself to stop in her trek. Remembering what Puck had told her about her emotions affecting her magic, she quickly focused on calming herself down. _Okay, breathe in, one... two... three... and let it out. Just grit your teeth and bear it for a few days. If at that time Oberon refuses to listen to what I have to say, THEN I can go into a psychotic rage..._

She shook her head and let out a sigh. "I need some stress relief..." Tugging uncomfortably at her dress, she made her way into the trees before noticing something. She blinked and looked around.

_It's daytime here... Didn't the sun go down just a couple hours ago?_ She shook her head again and scowled. _Great, I'm going to suffer from Avalon's version of jet lag..._

Pushing that annoying thought from her mind, she continued on her way, not taking any notice of the black bird perched on a branch as it followed her with its eyes.

She walked on for about ten minutes when she came across a nice little clearing. Sitting down on a large tree root that was sticking out of the ground, Lauren turned her focus on some rocks, varying in size from a pebble to about the size of a baseball.

After about ten minutes of using her telekinesis, Lauren let her hand drop uselessly to her side and the rock she had been controlling fell to the ground once more. She looked at her hand and frowned a little.

"Weird... It's so much _easier_ now that I'm here..."

"Of course," came a voice from behind her. Turning quickly, Lauren saw another native fey, this one with long black hair done up in a pony tail, and dressed in a blue and black outfit. "You're on Avalon now," he continued on, a smirk in place. "Avalon is in itself magic, and so anyone who comes here is changed in some way or another. You're slightly different than most though. While being here in the first place would've increased your ability to control your magic, it has also increased your potential due to your Halfling heritage."

Lauren blinked. What was with these guys and just popping up out of nowhere? Then his words caught up with her and she simply said: "Oh... I didn't know that..." _Shit,_ she thought. _As if my magic wasn't hard enough to control, now this guy's saying that I've got MORE of it?_ She guessed it explained her near loss of control earlier, and armed with this new knowledge, Lauren knew she had best be careful.

He came forward then and stood beside her. "You left the party early. It was just getting good."

She snorted now. "Not my idea of fun."

He shrugged now. "I guess it's all a matter of taste. You'll get used to it after a while."

She looked at him a little warily. "You mean things like that are _common_ here?"

The native nodded. "Pretty much. Lord Oberon insists that we all gather for dinner every day, and usually a fight breaks out. It's a way to break the tedium of being on Avalon."

_Great, I've been on Avalon for an hour and I want to go home already,_ she thought. Then she shook this thought off. "I'm sorry, I don't think we were introduced... though you already know who I am..."

His smirk was back in place instantly. "Where are my manners?" He held one of her hands in his own and gave a dramatic introduction as he gently kissed the back of her hand. "My name, fair Princess of Avalon, is Raven."

Her eyes went enormous, her brain not processing the name just yet. _"Princess?_"

He chuckled. "Don't sound so surprised. After all, Lord Oberon _is_ your father, and he rules over us all. Of course, that makes you a princess."

Hearing this, Lauren couldn't hold back as she let out a loud groan.

One of his eyebrows elevated. "You're the first woman I've ever met who didn't _want_ to be royalty..."

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Please, I was out of my "princess stage" by the time I was eight years old. And I can really go without the perks." She said this as she tugged her dress into a more comfortable position. Then she blinked as her mind finally processed his name. "Wait a minute. You said your name is Raven?"

He bowed to her dramatically. "At your service, my lady."

Now she frowned as the name was tugging incessantly at her mind. Then something clicked in place. Her eyes narrowed. "Were you on Queen Florence Island in Canada?"

His eyes widened a little. "You know about that?"

Having confirmed her suspicions, Lauren scowled as she got to her feet. "I have nothing to say to you." She was about to find someplace else to go, when he stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

"Whoa, hold on a minute there, Princess! Give me a chance! I'm not so bad."

Lauren frowned at him now. "Oh, so you _didn't_ make the entire island sick to drive away the human inhabitants? You _didn't_ lie to Goliath about there being a gargoyle clan there?"

"Hey, it's not as bad as you're making it sound." He took a few steps forward, and she backed up. He still had her wrist in a firm hold, so she couldn't put any more distance between them than she had. "Listen. We're immortal, and as you might imagine, things get as boring as all hell after a while. We've got to do _something_ to occupy ourselves. My way of passing the time is just a little more... involved than some of the others." Lauren now had her back against a tree and he continued to advance on her until less than a foot separated them. His eyes seemed to trail over her face for a long moment, and then his other hand came up and she found him cupping her cheek, his smirk still in place. "Has anyone ever told you that you're a beautiful young woman?"

Her eyes went wide. _Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh SHIT! This guy's a full blooded, immortal fey, with who knows how many thousands of years of experience in using magic, and he's making a pass at me... little miss 17 years old and barely any experience! What do I do? He doesn't exactly come off as a nice guy and I don't know how he would react if I were to forcibly tell him to fuck off!_

"I could make you the happiest woman on Avalon, if you would give me a chance," he said, his smirk growing as he started to lean in toward her.

"Okay, Raven, it's not that I'm not flattered, and it's not that you're not attractive in your own right, but I just got here and I really don't know if this is something that we should..." He didn't seem to be listening to a word she was saying and continued to close the distance. Lauren's eyes shut tight, not sure what, if anything, she should do.

Thankfully, she was saved before the lip to lip contact could be made.

"Hey, Raven," came a voice from their left. Looking over, they saw Coyote frowning at his cousin. "How do you think Lord Oberon would react if I were to waltz on over to him and tell him that you're trying to intimidate his daughter into dating you?"

Raven blinked hearing this, looked down at Lauren's wary expression, and then let out a heavy sigh as he released her wrist and stepped back. "Oh, all right. I'll leave you be for now, Princess, but that doesn't mean I won't try again later." He gave her a quick bow and then went on his way.

Once he was gone, Lauren gave a massive sigh of relief and gave Coyote a grateful look. "Thank you... SO much..."

"Sure thing. Are you okay?" he asked, coming forward now.

She only nodded, not trusting herself to respond verbally to such a question right now.

" 'Kay, listen. If he or anyone else tries to pull a stunt like that with you again, don't be afraid to tell them off. Trust me, _nobody_ here would dare cast a spell or harm you in any other way. It would be damn near suicidal to do that, considering that Oberon's your father." She just nodded again, but didn't say anything. A moment of silence passed between them, before Coyote decided to break it again. "You left pretty abruptly. I take it you're not a fan of the entertainment?"

She snorted. "I was witness to and on the receiving end of senseless violence for seventeen years. I'm not going to sit around and watch it." She sat back down on the tree root, and Coyote joined her.

He shrugged. "Doesn't bother me at all if you're not a fan of it. So..." He looked over at her and remembered the look on her face when he had told her he had to report to Oberon. "I guess... things didn't work out the way you were hoping?"

He saw her expression strain now as she shook her head. "They tried to fight him... but they never stood a chance. I had to step in or Oberon was going to..." Her voice cracked and she quickly turned her head away. _Oh fuck, no... here come the water works..._

Coyote, realizing she was about to go into a crying spell, quickly pulled her in close. Lauren allowed herself just a few minutes to cry before forcing herself to stop. She allowed herself a few more minutes to feel the comfort of Coyote's hold, however, before she pulled back. She quickly wiped away her tears and took in a deep, somewhat shaky breath.

"Lauren?" Looking up at Coyote, she saw him looking at her in concern.

"I'm okay," she said, gaining some control over herself. "It's just..." She buried her face in her hands and shook her head. "It's just been a really long, and _seriously_ fucked up day." Tugging at her dress again, she looked up at him. "Hey... can you do me a favor? I'd do it myself, but I don't know how."

He blinked. "What is it you'd like?"

She scowled now. "Can you _please_ get me out of this fucking dress?"

The fey blinked again, and then proceeded to start laughing. Lauren blinked herself now, wondering what the hell he found so funny.

He managed to get a hold of himself after a minute. "Sorry, Lauren, but the way you said that could have landed you in trouble if you weren't Oberon's daughter. It's really not how you want to word a request you're giving to a trickster."

Realizing just how it_ had_ come out, Lauren turned bright red, and then gave him a pleading look. "Coyote..." She couldn't help it as it came out sounding like a whine.

He smirked. "Okay, okay. I'll behave." Then he raised an eyebrow as he let his eyes trail over the dress. "You sure you wanna change? That thing looks _damn_ good on you... Where did you get it, anyway? I didn't think you'd dress up for your Daddy's arrival."

She scowled. "Yes, I'm sure. I'd love my T-shirt and jeans back as soon as possible. And Oberon is the one who did it... and didn't give me a chance to object."

He winced when he heard this, and then let out a sigh. "Damn, we've got a problem then. You see, Lauren... none of us here can actually _reverse_ one of Oberon's spells. You'd have to go ask _him_ to do it for you."

Hearing this, she couldn't help but groan. Right now she would rather be locked up in a cage with FANG than go anywhere near her father. But she would be damned if she was going to walk around this island in this stupid dress the whole time she was here.

She got to her feet with a sigh. "I guess I'll go back to the palace then. See if I can talk to Oberon alone for a minute. Then I'm going to see about finding a place to pass out. I'm exhausted."

He shrugged and got to his feet as well. "There's plenty of guest rooms that nobody uses in the palace. Most of us just drop off wherever when it comes to napping, because we don't really _need_ sleep unless we've exhausted our magic. I'll show you to one of them when you're done."

Nodding, Lauren started back to the tree line when the bushes rustled, parted, and...

The Halfling let out a terrified scream when the vehicle sized Anansi entered the clearing. Before she even realized it, she was back in Coyote's arms, this time shivering in a combination of fear and disgust.

The native sighed irritably. "Anansi, I know you're like the Spider God and all, but would it _kill_ you take on a human form until Lauren's at least _somewhat_ adjusted?"

The enormous spider seemed almost amused as he gave an odd bow toward them. "My most humble apologies, Princess." Webbing came from his abdomen, enveloping him for a few long seconds until his form shrank down and he took on a form that resembled an African shaman... his afro hair sticking out in ways that deliberately resembled the eight legs of a spider. He held a staff topped with the skull of an animal she couldn't identify, and he wore a long robe that had a hint of a webbing design sewed into it. "My intention was not to startle you," he said now as Lauren slowly dislodged herself from Coyote. "I was sent to find you by Lord Oberon. He wishes to see you."

She nodded, still trying to get her heart rate down to normal. Damn it, who in their right mind would _prefer_ to take on the form of a spider over a human? Then she supposed it was a decent way to scare people into compliance... especially when she remembered what Goliath had told her about him.

"Okay, we were just on our way back when you showed up," she said.

He nodded. "Very well. Now that the message has been delivered, I will be on my way. Good day, Princess." He bowed down and disappeared back into the foliage.

She sighed heavily when he was gone. "And that's another thing... If one more person calls me 'princess' I'm going to scream."

Coyote smirked at her. "Well, unfortunately I can't help much with _that_ considering that you _are_ by definition, a princess. But at least you know _I'll_ call you by your name." He put his hand in the middle of her back and led her on. "Come on, now. We mustn't keep Lord Oberon waiting."

There was hardly anyone in the banquet hall when they got there, and the two tables were now gone. Lauren guessed that after dinner was over, everyone was free to do whatever they wanted. There were a couple unfamiliar fey in the very back of the main hall, and Oberon and Titania were sitting upon their thrones.

Lauren sighed heavily. _I hate my life..._

She approached the thrones, Coyote falling back to wait until the meeting was done. Oberon and Titania both looked up as she approached.

"I uh... I was told you wanted to see me, Oberon?"

He nodded immediately. "Yes, step forward, Lauren." She did so and stopped when she was about five feet from the thrones. "My Lady Titania has voiced some concerns after your abrupt departure from the hall earlier. Now, I understand that you will have difficulties adjusting to your new life here, and that some of the activities you will witness will no doubt be very odd or perhaps even... inappropriate to your mind. My purpose in calling you here is to find how you are adjusting thus far, and what issues you may have."

Lauren took in a slow deep breath as she processed this, and bit her tongue to keep herself from going off on a long winded tangent right off the bat. She had only been here for a few hours and getting on Oberon's bad side this early on was _not_ a good idea... at least not if she could help it. Even though there were very few members of his court present, Lauren knew that keeping things at least somewhat civil right now was the best course of action.

"Oberon... do I have permission to be completely, almost brutally honest?"

He frowned slightly and nodded. "You may proceed," he said, though a tone in his voice told her to tread carefully.

_Okay, try not to say too much about his bringing me here in the first place... yet._ She thought for a few seconds, and then started to speak. "Okay, you want a review of my experiences so far, so I'm going to start from when I first got here, up till now. So... the first thing you did when I got here, was put me in this dress. Now, I understand you don't know me, so you don't know my tastes, and you were rushing me on before I could even object, so I'll start by telling you this: I absolutely hate dresses and would really appreciate it if you would please give me back my regular clothes."

"Lauren, your new position on Avalon should be reflected in your outward appearance, and the apparel you were in before did no justice for your status."

The teenager's gaze flickered to Titania and then back to her father. "Forgive me for saying so, but Lady Titania is _Queen_ of Avalon, and I don't see her being forced to wear a dress to reflect her status here. So why are you trying to force me?"

He frowned slightly. "Would you prefer to be dressed in a manner similar to my Lady Queen?"

Lauren found herself becoming irritated. "I would _prefer_ to be dressed how I _choose_, rather than having _you_ decide how I should look. I'm seventeen years old, and while that might not be old compared to anyone else who lives here, I think I'm mature enough to choose my own clothes! Besides, everyone here _knows_ who I am, so why the need to advertise it?"

Neither father nor daughter noticed that Titania appeared to be amused by the conversation.

Oberon started once more. "Many are judged by their appearances, Lauren. The way you were donned before reflected nothing more than an average being with no authority, nor did it command respect."

_Okay, _she thought. _Time to turn on the bitch switch, but keep 'er at a low setting. Maybe a one or a two... _Mentally turning on the switch and turning the dial up to a one, she activated her sarcasm.

"You mean people would treat me like the average human being? The _horror!_ And I don't _command_ respect, and I _never_ will. Respect is something that should be _earned,_ not forced on other people! And I don't have any interest in being put into a position of power anyway."

"Simply by being born, you are in a position of power, Lauren. Not even I can change that."

Lauren sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose. She turned the setting on her Bitch Switch up to a two... obvious frustration, a hint of anger, and bringing up her not wanting to be here in the first place.

"Oberon... I am going to say this as politely as I can, considering you just dragged me from the life and family that I've always wanted... Get me out of this fucking dress or I'll tear it off myself and walk around Avalon _naked!_ And while I'm sure some of the males here might appreciate the sight, I somehow doubt that _you_ would!"

Her father's eyes narrowed and his frown deepened when he heard this. Titania leaned toward him and whispered something in his ear. He seemed to consider something that she had said, and then nodded with a sigh.

"Very well, daughter. If you are so very adamant on the issue, I will grant you this request." He held his hand out toward her and she found herself back in her regular street clothes. She couldn't help it as she let out a massive sigh of relief.

"Thank you." She mentally turned her Bitch Switch off again and reminded herself to thank Titania for whatever she had said later.

Her father merely nodded. "And, you indicated that you had other concerns?"

She decided to not bother mentioning the public introduction, since there wasn't any real point to it. There wasn't anything anyone could do about it now, anyway. So she skipped on over to the next issue.

She cast an obviously dissatisfied glance at the chair to the left of Oberon. "Do I _have_ to sit on the throne?" she asked, putting just a tint of a whine into the question.

He nodded at the question, though his expression was curious. "As my daughter, you should stand by my side, just as my Lady Queen does. And, again, it is a reflection of your new status here on Avalon. I had thought... you would appreciate your new position here."

Trying not to scowl now, she shook her head. "I briefly went through a 'princess stage' when I was seven and wanted to be Ariel from _The Little Mermaid._ I got bored with the idea after a few months and moved on with my life. I haven't had even the slightest interest in being royalty since. To be honest with you... I really don't like being the center of attention. I prefer to just... blend in."

He shrugged now. "The only time I really insist we all congregate is when we engage in the daily feasting. I'm sure you can survive an hour or two on the throne a day."

Lauren frowned hearing this, but decided it would be in her best interests to not push the issue. While she hated sitting in the damn thing, at least it was only for a brief period every day.

She sighed. "Okay, I won't push the fancy chair issue. I guess I can live with it, so let's move on." She thought for a second, trying to remember what was next. Then she looked at him. "Okay, I know we had a brief discussion about this earlier, but just to make doubly sure... _Please_ no more alcoholic drinks with my meal. I will _not_ touch them."

He simply nodded hearing this. "Such a request is easily granted. Have you any further concerns?"

Her expression strained slightly. Then she sighed. "I do, but I'm not going to ask you to stop the random fighting that apparently breaks out during the banquets. Since it seems to be some sort of tradition here, from what I've been told, it's not right for it to change just because I happen to be here. When a fight flares up, I'll just leave."

The corners of his mouth went down slightly, but he acquiesced. "Very well. While I would prefer you to remain in the hall until the conclusion of the meal, as the fighting upsets you so much, I will grant you this reprieve. Is there anything else?"

She shook her head. "Not yet."

Oberon's expression indicated he didn't miss the meaning behind her words: "Not yet, but there'll be more." He said nothing to this, however, deciding to just leave the situation be.

He simply nodded. "Very well, then. You may go now."

Feeling immense relief upon hearing this, Lauren nodded and then went to Coyote who had been standing and listening to the conversation from where he had stood. The two of them left the room through another door which led further into the palace.

Once they were out of the room, Oberon sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Tell me, Titania... was Fox anything like Lauren?"

She smirked. "No... Fox was worse. Remind me to tell you about the time she came home with a nose ring. I honestly thought Halcyon was going to give himself a stroke."

He frowned thoughtfully. "She has no aspirations to be in a position of power, in spite of her birth right, no apparent desire to be dotted upon, and no interest in standing out in any way." He could only shake his head. "Such an... unusual woman."

At his side, his wife merely shrugged. "To be honest, the thing that shocked me the most is that she is on the verge of being an adult and has no interest in consuming alcohol. I was finding liquor hidden in Fox's room when she was only fifteen! Of course, she grew out of it once she started pursuing her acting career, but I believe Lauren is the only teenager I have met who has no interest in even going through the phase. Most definitely admirable in many regards and displaying a strong sense of responsibility... but still unusual." She gave Oberon a smile. "She is unique... and obviously has a very strong stubborn streak and propensity for speaking her mind."

Oberon sighed once again. "_That,_ my Queen, is what worries me."

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Once they were out of the room and Coyote was leading Lauren down a long corridor, the young woman shook her head in disbelief.

"Damn, how stubborn _is_ that guy? I practically had to twist his arm just to get my regular clothes back!"

Coyote smirked. "I'd say he's about as stubborn as _you_ are. And I have to say I'm shocked you got away with talking to him like that without receiving some kind of punishment."

She sighed. "If it was that much of a headache just to get my clothes back, I'm afraid to think of what it's going to take to get him to send me back home."

The fey stopped in his tracks, his eyes going wide. "Whoa, what? You're planning on trying to get Oberon to send you back?"

She blinked and looked at him. "Of _course_ I am! You didn't honestly think I was planning on staying here _permanently, _did you? The only reason I came with him was so he didn't _kill_ my uncle!"

The native trickster chose his words carefully. "Lauren... after all the effort Oberon went through to get you here in the first place, the chances of him sending you _back_ are slim to none."

Now she frowned. "Just because the odds are against me, doesn't mean I'm just going to give in! I promised everyone that I would be back, and I'll be _damned_ if I'm going to let Oberon make me break that promise."

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then shrugged as he continued on down the hall. "Well, I'll wish you luck because you're seriously going to need it. But I guess if anyone can get him to change his mind, it would be his daughter." He stopped outside one of the doors and opened it up. "This room should be good for you. It's one of the larger ones and it's got a washroom so you don't have to go on a hunt for one later."

Lauren stepped into the room and blinked when she looked at the bed and saw her bag on it. She tried to think of when she had _lost_ it in the first place, and only now realized that she hadn't had it in her hand since Oberon had brought them both here.

She pointed, her expression showing immense confusion. "How the hell did my bag wind up in here, when Oberon couldn't have known which room I was going to sleep in?"

He grinned. "Well, this is the room that was used by the Princess and Tom before the Gathering. Once all of us came back, Oberon gave them another section of the palace for themselves. Tom added the washroom to the room at some point in the past, and aside from the new one in their new section, this is the only other bathroom on the island."

The girl looked at him incredulously. "Don't fey ever need to...?"

He shook his head. "Nope. But of course Oberon understands that _you'll_ need to, and that's why I brought you straight here. I figured that he would have chosen this room for you himself."

Her expression turned wary now. "I'm almost afraid to ask about the conditions of the plumbing..."

Coyote smirked now. "Don't worry. While the washrooms themselves are primitive by your standards, the magic of Avalon takes care of it on its own by automatically absorbing the waste."

She sighed. "Well, at least I won't get stunk out." Then she looked around at the room, and aside from the bed, there was a fireplace, a couple tapestries on the walls, a single table at her bedside, and nothing else. She shook her head. "Damn, I miss my computer and TV already."

Her companion winced slightly. "Sorry, technology doesn't work very well on Avalon." Then he cleared his throat. "You want me to magic you into some clothes you can sleep in?"

She considered this for a moment and then slowly shook her head. "I think I've had my clothes changed enough for one day. Really, all I want to do right now is go to sleep."

He seemed to hesitate a moment. "Do you uh... need help going to sleep? I mean, you've had one hell of a rough day."

Lauren paused as she considered his question. "That sounds like it might be a good idea, actually. Otherwise I'll start thinking too much."

He nodded. "Okay, into bed with you then, before you pass out. You look half dead."

In that instant, the girl let out a monster yawn. "I _feel_ like I'm half dead." She pulled back the thick comforter and laid down. Coyote came to her side.

"Goodnight, Lauren. I'll see you later." Placing his fingers at her temple, the woman's eyes immediately closed and she was out.

The trickster looked down at her sleeping form for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh and leaving the room.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

When she woke up, Lauren was momentarily confused about her unfamiliar surroundings before the events of the previous day caught up with her. This was followed by an almost overwhelming urge to cry again, but she fought off that urge. Then she had a momentary sensation of déjà vu.

_It's almost like the morning I first woke up at the castle..._

She let out a heavy sigh, took note that the skies were dark and shook her head warily when she realized her sleeping schedule was officially fucked.

_Oh well,_ she thought. _Maybe I'll get a chance to meet the gargoyles who live here now..._

Having one tiny thing to look forward to, Lauren got to her feet and stretched. Then she headed for her door and stepped out into the hall.

Looking up and down the corridor for a moment, she realized that she hadn't been paying attention when Coyote had shown her to her room earlier. Both ends of the hall looked identical to one another and she had no clue which way the exit was.

_Well, shit. What a wonderful way to start the day._

Sighing, she started down the hall and noticed after a few minutes that after going through a few turns, she wasn't even sure how to get back to her own _room,_ much less know how the hell to get outside. What was even _more_ baffling, was that the palace didn't look nearly this big from the outside!

Just when she felt herself becoming frustrated, someone rounded a corner ahead of her. She recognized him as the old bearded man who had been sitting next to Coyote in the hall. Feeling some measure of relief, she approached him.

"Excuse me." The man paused and regarded her curiously, recognition flickering across his gaze. "Sorry to bother you, but I wasn't paying attention when Coyote showed me to my room earlier, and now I'm completely lost in here. Could you please show me the way out?"

The man gave her a respectful nod of acknowledgment. "I would only be too happy to assist you, Princess. I was actually on my way outside myself. Please, just follow me." He started down the hall.

While Lauren had cringed a little at the "Princess" title, she found some tiny relief that he hadn't bowed down like Raven had earlier. She quickly fell into step beside him.

"How long has the sun been down?"

He gave her a smile. "Actually, the sun will be coming _up_ in about ten minutes. You slept through most of the evening and straight through the night."

She was both surprised and relieved to hear this. Surprised because she must have slept for at _least_ ten hours, and relieved because it meant her sleeping pattern wasn't as fucked as she'd feared. Unfortunately, it also meant that she wouldn't be able to get more than a bare glimpse of the gargoyles before they went to sleep.

_Oh well, I guess there's tomorrow night. And at least I finally get to watch a gargoyle TURN to stone, rather than breaking out of it._

Lauren was also curious as to who this elderly (or at least he took on the _form_ of someone who's elderly) fey was. His appearance seemed to resemble that of the Vikings she had seen paintings of in textbooks at school. As much as she hated her overall situation, she had to admit to being fascinated at the opportunity to meet real life figures from myth and legend.

"Um, I'm sorry, but I'm absolutely dying of curiosity, and I'm wondering exactly who you are..." she said, trying not to sound too awkward.

He gave her a kindly smile. "You have no need to apologize, Princess Lauren," he said, noticing her cringe immediately when he used her title. "I am Odin, and may I say that it is a pleasure to meet you."

_I can't believe this... I'm walking next to the Norse God of all Gods! At least he seems nice enough..._

She tried to shove the sudden nervousness from her mind. After all, she told herself, if he has the respect of Elisa and Goliath, then he can't be bad.

After a few minutes of walking, Odin stopped by a door and opened it. Once he and Lauren had stepped outside, she saw the sky starting to get lighter. The Norse God looked at her.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Where exactly do the gargoyles go to sleep?"

He pointed over her shoulder. "Walk that way and when you go around the corner you'll see a smaller attachment to the palace. That is where Princess Katherine and the Guardian Tom reside, and where the gargoyles roost."

She offered him one of her tiny smiles. "Okay, thank you, Odin." She quickly followed his instructions, hoping she wouldn't be too late to catch the show.

Rounding the corner of the palace, she saw the addition that Odin and Coyote had both mentioned. It was about the size of a medium house, and the cornices seemed to line the entire top of the building. Lauren saw the gargoyles taking up their positions, two human figures standing there and observing them. She was quite a distance away yet, so she couldn't make out any details, and unfortunately didn't have time to get closer before the sun peeked over the horizon and the gargoyles turned to stone. The humans, who must be Princess Katherine and Tom, turned and walked off, probably to re-enter the building through an entrance on the roof.

She sighed. _Well, at least I got to see it, even though it wasn't the best view. So... now what do I do?_ She took in her surroundings and frowned a little.

Well, Avalon was a pretty big island. She could see a few rolling hills and even a volcano, and she could see at least one cliff from where she stood, that appeared to overlook a beach. Most of the interior looked as if it was comprised of a forest, and Lauren had to admit to being curious about what else the island might have. The day was just starting, she had nothing really constructive to do here, so she might as well do some exploring. Spotting a path leading into the tree line, she started on her way.

After about an hour of walking and seeing nothing particularly interesting, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. You'd think that a magical island would have some sort of unnatural beauty, or at least sights not seen anywhere else, but so far Avalon seemed to be fairly plain. Oh, it had its own rugged beauty, she'd been told it was always summer here, and the air was amazingly fresh; but in terms of majestic beauty, it couldn't hold a candle to some of the tropical islands like in Central America. About the most interesting thing she had seen on the island aside from the volcano was a medium sized freshwater spring guzzling out of the side of a cliff in the interior. That water filled a small pool at the base of the cliff, and from there was sent out to the ocean by a narrow river.

Continuing along the path for a few more minutes, she rounded a bend and stopped in her tracks. In the side of a hill directly ahead of her, was the mouth of a fairly large cave.

_Finally something interesting!_ She thought with a small measure of relief. She strolled forward purposefully, intending on finding what, if anything, the cave contained.

"Princess," came a feminine voice from behind her. Turning, Lauren saw three women who looked identical to one another except for one thing: their hair color. The one to the left had golden hair, the one in the middle had black hair, and the one on the right had hair as white as Lauren's own.

"We must strongly advise against you entering the Hollow Hill," said the golden haired woman.

"It was once the resting place of the Sleeping King, and traps were put in place to keep him safe while Oberon and his Children were about in the mortal plane," explained the dark haired one.

The platinum blond nodded. "While the King has been awakened, those traps are still in place, and with your inexperience, it would be dangerous for you."

She blinked hearing this and cast a glance at the cave. While she was now more curious than ever, she had a feeling in her gut that it would be in her best interest to listen to what these three were saying.

"Um... thanks for the warning." She looked at them a little curiously, and she had a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly who these women were. "Are you... the Weird Sisters?"

The one to the far left nodded. "That is what we are most commonly known as. I am Phoebe."

The middle woman. "I am Selene."

"And I am Luna," stated the final woman.

Even _without_ the warning MacBeth had issued her, she would've been wary of these three. From what she had been told of them, it was difficult to judge their intentions. They had been instrumental in helping to save New York from Demona, but had seemed to pull a 180 and fought on the side of the Arch Mage. Then there was the whole _linking_ the Scottish King and gargoyle together in the first place to grant them immortality.

For the first time since coming here, she was actually a little _relieved_ to be Oberon's daughter. It was the one assurance that she had that none of the inhabitants of this island would do her any harm. Still, these three had given her a well placed warning about a dangerous area on the island, and so it seemed that they had her best interests in mind. Best to be polite and courteous toward them unless they gave her reason to do otherwise.

"It's nice to meet you." She was about to continue on her way, but she paused and looked back at them. "Just to be safe... are there any other hidden dangers on Avalon that I should know about before I continue exploring?"

Phoebe shook her head. "Any other dangers you may find are obvious and require no warnings. Avalon is safe."

Lauren let out a small sigh of relief and nodded. "Okay then. I'm just going to keep looking around. Thank you again for the warning."

The three women nodded as one and the girl quickly continued on her way.

She continued walking on for around an hour, seeing nothing that really caught her interest. She had spotted a few more of Oberon's Children milling about a small distance away, but she passed on without drawing attention to herself. Having noticed that one had snakes instead of hair on her head, she really didn't want to know if the Legend of Medusa was based on fact.

She had explored about half of the island before settling down in the same clearing she had found the day before to give her legs a rest. Now seated on the tree root once again, she half heartedly attempted to relieve her stress once more by using her usual technique.

After half an hour, she gave up. It was _too_ easy here. The point of her using her telekinetics was that it gave her a chance to test herself and feel a sense of accomplishment when she managed to move something in a way she hadn't before: turning pages in a book, having objects fly through the air in a double-helix pattern without hitting one another, etc, etc.

_Guess I'll have to move on to something else to try to take away the stress. But if my telekinesis is this easy now, if I were to try flying here I'd probably shoot up half way to the moon..._ After a few minutes of looking around and frowning at her surroundings, she sighed heavily. "Okay, I'll _very carefully_ give it a try..." She got to her feet, stood in the center of the clearing, and closed her eyes.

She felt that flame inside her more easily than ever. She reached toward that flame, intending on bringing out the magic as she had all the times previously, and was shocked when it came roaring to the surface. Her eyes snapped open at the intensity of it, and then she realized that the power was almost _pushing itself_ to the surface. She shut her eyes tight once more and quickly concentrated on pulling away from the increasingly hot flame. The power actually seemed to _resist_ her mental command for a few long seconds before it finally settled down. Lauren let out a haggard gasp and quickly leaned against a tree to support her now trembling knees.

She herself was shaking from the shock of the experience. _I've never felt ANYTHING like that before,_ she thought uneasily. _Is this due to my being on Avalon now? If it is, I'm almost AFRAID to try practicing my magic again..._

"Lauren?" A voice rang out. Turning, she saw Coyote race through the trees and into the clearing, his eyes wide. "What the hell happened? Everyone felt your power burst just now!"

She shook her head numbly, her features a little pale. "I... I'm not sure. I was about to try practicing flying but... when I went to bring the magic to the surface, it was like I opened a floodgate! But this time... the magic almost felt like it was starting to _burn_ before I managed to pull it back."

He frowned immediately hearing this and he came toward her. He gently took hold of her chin and made her look him directly in the eyes. After a minute, he let go, stepped back, and regarded her.

"I think it's a combination of things. First of all, Avalon increased your magical potential, and second, all the stress you've been under lately is most likely playing havoc with your control. And as for the _burning_ sensation you were talking about..." His eyes trailed over her body, not in a perverted way, but in a critical one. "How well have you been eating?"

She cringed at this question. "Um... not very well. I was getting better back in New York, but..." She shook her head. "My appetite's gone to shit all over again. All I had yesterday was a few bites in the banquet and the breakfast Owen served me that morning."

Coyote sighed hearing this. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked right at her. "Lauren... You _have_ to keep your strength up. You're only half fey, so your mortal blood requires full health in order for magic to be properly controlled. If you don't eat right, it takes away your strength, and the magic within you will start to wear away on your body. It could even _kill_ you if you're too weak and you lose control."

She laughed humourlessly. "Great. Just fucking great. I'm basically a walking time-bomb, and I can't hold more than a few bites of food down." She buried her face in her hands again. "And of course, I wouldn't be _having_ this problem if Oberon hadn't fucking well _brought_ me here in the first place!"

The trickster winced hearing this, but then turned his attention to the sky. "The daily feast is in about an hour. I have a few things I need to take care of, but I'll come find you when it's time, okay?"

She just nodded silently and returned to sitting on the root. No way in hell was she going to make an attempt number two. Best to stick with her telekinesis. At least she still had full control of _that._

Upon looking around and finding Coyote had left once more, she let out a heavy sigh, and resumed lazily using her power.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Coyote entered the main hall, and was immediately called over by Oberon.

"I have yet to see my daughter today, but felt her power spike alarmingly not long ago. Have you seen her?"

He nodded immediately. "I was actually coming to speak to you about her, my Lord. I investigated immediately when I felt the burst and after speaking with her about it, I am _very_ concerned about Lauren."

Oberon frowned now. "Concerned in what way?"

"The reason the burst happened was because she was attempting to bring her magic to the surface so she could practice flying. But even trying to access the small amount of magic needed, she described it as opening a floodgate and she nearly lost control. She also said that as the magic came to the surface, she experienced a sensation that was similar to burning. The combination of Avalon's effect on her, her own stress, and lack of sustenance is causing her control to become shaky at best. She is also beginning to fear her own abilities."

His frown deepened. "She had no more than a few bites of food yesterday at the feast, and told me she was not hungry. I had thought she had perhaps eaten shortly before my arrival in the mortal world."

The native shook his head. "She told me she had breakfast served to her by Owen, and the little she ate in the banquet. Apparently her appetite had been improving but..." he hesitated to finish the sentence.

Titania spoke then, understanding where the trickster was going and why he hesitated to finish speaking. "But her stress level has risen once more since her arrival on Avalon, and is once again causing the condition to resurface?"

Coyote gave his Queen a grateful look for saying it in a way that didn't make Oberon out to _seem_ like the one responsible. He nodded. "Yes."

The Fey king nodded. "I will speak with her on this issue during today's feast. This cannot be allowed to continue."

The trickster nodded, though he wasn't sure exactly how Oberon planned to correct this issue merely by talking to the girl.

"The time to feast is almost at hand. Go retrieve my daughter and bring her back here."

Coyote bowed immediately. "Yes, my Lord."

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

When Coyote came to retrieve her for the daily banquet, Lauren sighed but made no complaints as she followed him back to the palace. By the time they were there, the tables were back and the chairs were rapidly filling with the inhabitants of Avalon. Coyote gave the girl a reassuring squeeze of her shoulder before finding a chair of his own and leaving her to go to her own designated seat.

She refused to meet Oberon's gaze as she took her seat, and barely heard as he stood and informed his court that the time to feast was at hand. As had happened the day before, scores of food appeared on the tables, and the fey immediately started to dig in.

Looking down at her plate, Lauren saw that it had, once again, been filled already. To be honest, she couldn't even identify some of the food on her plate now that she stopped to actually examine it. Not that she was an expert when it came to food, but she just wondered how her _stomach_ was going to handle it. Especially since the entire ordeal looked to be rather complex. She had to wonder if Oberon ever heard of doing things simple.

Next to her plate was a glass of liquid. This one seemed to be a clear, but almost brownish liquid. Thinking that it reminded her of Scotch or dark rum, she cautiously sniffed it and was relieved to find it was merely apple juice.

"Lauren," Oberon said from her left. She blinked and looked at him. "We must talk."

"About what?" she asked, though she had a feeling she already knew.

"We all felt your power spike earlier, and Coyote later came to me explaining what it was that occurred. In order to prevent a more serious incident, from this point on I insist you eat at least half of what is on your plate. We need you to regain your health."

Lauren almost became angry hearing this, but stomped it down. She understood their reasons for being concerned... hell, _she_ was concerned! But still... Looking down at her plate again, the question of whether this stuff would go down and _stay _down came back to her mind.

"Oberon, I'll certainly make the attempt, but..."

He shook his head, cutting her off before she could continue. "You _will_ eat half of your meal, Lauren." His voice left no room for further discussion.

She looked at him for a few long seconds, before sighing heavily and nodding. _Fine. Oberon can see for himself what happens when I try to FORCE myself to eat under stress._

Picking up her utensils, she slowly started to eat. Again, the taste of the food didn't seem to really register with her. She saw her Daddy Dearest casting looks in her direction as she slowly consumed the meal, watching her more closely than he had the day before.

Oberon blinked and turned mildly alarmed when his daughter's skin suddenly took on a greenish tint, her hand flew to her mouth, and she charged out of the hall. Coyote, who had also been keeping a frequent eye on the girl, was on his feet and out the door right behind her immediately. The Fey King was close behind.

Lauren was currently supporting herself against a tree as what little there was in her stomach reversed course. The trickster was at her side immediately, gently rubbing her back as Oberon stood off to the side and watched, a frown on his face.

"Lauren, are you...?"

The woman cut off Coyote. "I'm okay." She straightened herself once more and sighed. "And _that_ is why I no longer try _forcing_ myself to eat." She looked at Oberon now, her eyes looking a little sunken, and her features now pale. "Would you care to see me try again, or will you actually _listen_ to what I have to say?"

While his eyes now narrowed, he made no other sign of disapproval. "I am listening, daughter."

"Look, I understand _why_ you forced the issue on me. I sure as hell don't want to lose control of my magic any more than you want to see it happen. But trying to get me to eat food that looks as if it was made with thirty different ingredients, a huge chunk of which I can't even identify, while feeling as if I'm on center stage with hundreds of people watching me is _not_ going to work! Before I left New York my appetite was starting to get better due to reduced stress and the fact that Owen was making me _simple_ foods that are easy to digest! Now, I don't see my stress reducing itself much, if at all, any time soon, since you won't let me eat wherever I bloody well want along with other factors, but _maybe_ if I can eat something other than what you've been trying to feed me, I'll be able to keep it down."

Oberon was silent for a moment, before he lifted his hand, palm upward, in front of himself. A flash of light later, and he was holding a bowl of potato salad. He handed it to her. "As you made the attempt within the hall already, I will grant you permission to consume _this_ meal wherever you wish. I will make the necessary adjustments to your meal when we next eat. In the meantime, I will have Grandmother find you after today's feast has been completed, and see if she can offer you assistance with your problem." His gaze turned then to Coyote, who had not left Lauren's side. "I want you to remain with Lauren, Coyote, until she has eaten an amount that you find satisfactory."

The girl's eyes widened when she heard this and she frowned, but made no complaint. The fey at her side simply nodded.

"Of course, Lord Oberon."

Having nothing further to say, he turned and re-entered the palace.

Lauren scowled. "I don't believe it... he assigned me a fucking _babysitter._"

Coyote smirked. "I think he just wants to make sure you're not going to take that salad and dump it into a hole or off of a cliff somewhere. You _do_ come off as being rather stubborn."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to refuse to eat when doing so could potentially _kill_ me when I try practicing my magic. I may be stubborn, but I'm not stupid." After walking down a path into the trees for a few minutes, she took a seat under an elm tree. Coyote sat down next to her. "What I don't get is Oberon. You'd think that knowing what he does about me, that he'd at least use different tactics..."

Coyote took in a slow, deep breath. "Um... yeah, there's something I need to tell you, Lauren. You see... the thing is... Oberon _doesn't_ know what happened to you."

She almost dropped the bowl in shock. "_What do you mean 'he doesn't know'?"_

He jumped and quickly held his hands up. "I'm sorry! I _tried _telling him, but the second he found out that you were living with Mr. Xanatos in the Aerie Building, I couldn't get another word in! He said he was leaving to get you and he was just gone!"

Lauren looked at him for a long moment before she let out a sigh. "It's not your fault. I know all about him not taking the time to actually _listen_. I think I'll drop the big subject with him tomorrow; ask if I can talk to him alone after the feast. Maybe when he knows what happened, he'll let me go and I won't have to worry about this shit any more. I mean... he's shown he can be reasonable... sometimes..."

Coyote gave her a skeptical look, but said nothing. After a minute, he gave her a little nudge and a smirk. "Hey, you're supposed to be eating, remember?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, oh mighty babysitter." She had a sarcastic tone to her voice which brought a smile to her companion's face.

She slowly started to eat, keeping close tabs on her stomach as she did so. She ate a quarter of a bowl before she sighed and leaned her head against the tree.

The fey at her side rose an eyebrow. "Is that all you plan to eat, because I might have to say something if you say it is..."

She sent him a half glare. "I threw up like half an hour ago, and I'm not eager to do a repeat performance. Just give me a couple minutes so I _know_ if I eat more that it'll stay down."

He shrugged. "Fair enough. Just so long as you eat at least a _little_ more than that."

After a few minutes of sitting in silence and taking a few deep breaths, Lauren continued on with her meal. She managed to get down about another quarter of the bowl before she winced and shook her head.

"I think I've hit my limit," she said, not trusting herself to look up.

Coyote examined the bowl and sighed. "Well, it's more than you had in your stomach before. How do you feel?"

She shrugged. "Slightly nauseous, but not too bad."

He set the bowl aside and nodded. "I'll trust your judgment on this one. Let's hope that Grandmother can do something to help you."

She frowned curiously. "Is she the one who was in Canada with Raven?"

He nodded. "Yup. I think you'll like her, actually. They don't come much nicer than her."

As if that was a cue, a petite, white haired native woman dressed in traditional clothing emerged from the path. When she came closer, she gave Lauren a kind smile.

"Hello, child. Lord Oberon explained your situation to me and asked if I could do something to help."

Lauren nodded. While she had been surprised by the "child" comment, she certainly wasn't going to complain about it. Compared to everyone else on the island, she _was _a child. And besides, it sure beat having "Princess" thrown at her. She gave the elderly native her patented tiny smile.

"Well, I don't know what you can do to help, but you're welcome to try."

Grandmother nodded to her. "Now, lay down so I can examine you."

She did as she was told, Coyote moving to sit opposite of Grandmother as she gently lifted her shirt just short of exposing her breasts and gently laid her hands on her stomach region. A light, yellowish glow emanated from the old woman's hands. After a few moments, she frowned thoughtfully.

"You were damaged internally at some point, and it seems as if it was not treated, or treated very poorly..."

"It wasn't treated," Lauren said simply. "Mom and Craig didn't have the kind of money needed for me to get medical care when... I was injured. Mom was pretty much my doctor." She saw Coyote give her a questioning look when she said this, but she ignored it.

The old woman frowned curiously at her, but said nothing. Lauren felt a strangely comforting heat pool into her stomach and then the woman pulled her hands away.

"While I do not believe it had anything to do with your lack of appetite, I have repaired the old interior wounds. Now... let me see if there is anything I can do, otherwise." Helping her sit up now, the old woman placed the palms of her hands on Lauren's temples and closed her eyes. The girl didn't feel a thing and wondered a little uneasily about exactly what Grandmother was doing. Then she flinched slightly and pulled her hands away. "You are not one who deals with her emotions, and instead conceals them. You are holding in a great deal of negative emotions... anger, sadness, guilt, grief, fear... and that is one of the reasons you are having such difficulty controlling your abilities. Your erratic emotions are also hampering your body's ability to take in and absorb the sustenance it needs. However... unfortunately that means there is nothing I can do. The only one who can deal with your inner turmoil... is you." Grandmother removed her hands and then stood up once more. "I have to report to Lord Oberon. You try relaxing, child. Your stress will do you no good."

The moment she was gone, Coyote looked at Lauren. "Why didn't you tell her? She practically gave you an open invitation, and you just gave a vague response."

She looked up at him and sighed. "I know that, it's just..." She shook her head. "Possibly the only thing I like about being on Avalon is that nobody _does_ know. In New York, it was in all the newspapers and all over TV. _Everyone_ knew. They knew who I was, and what happened, and the stares and sympathy looks were driving me insane. I'm going to tell Oberon tomorrow, which is going to be hard enough for me, but..."

"If you had told Grandmother, she could have told Oberon for you," Coyote pointed out.

She shook her head and sighed again. "I guess you'd have to go through it to really understand. It's one of those things that you don't even want to _remember_, must less tell other people."

Coyote considered this, and then decided it would be for the best if he dropped the subject and moved on to something else. He didn't know any specifics about what happened to her, and honestly wasn't sure if he _wanted_ to know either. The important thing was for him to try to find a way to reduce her stress so she could regain her health.

He smirked at her. "Hey, have you seen all of Avalon yet?"

She shook her head, obviously relieved at the change of subject. "No. I did about half, but I haven't gotten to the volcano or anything on the other side of it yet."

He got to his feet and gave her a dramatic bow as he held out his hand to her. "Well then, my fair lady, how would you like me to bring you on the grand tour?"

She offered him her tiny smile and accepted his hand up. "Sure thing. At the very least, it'll kill some time."

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Oberon looked up as Grandmother returned and approached the King and Queen of Avalon. She got down on one knee and bowed her head in greeting.

"Grandmother, you may proceed with your report."

The old woman nodded and looked up at Oberon. "I have examined Lauren, as you asked me, my Lord. She had some old internal injuries that had not been treated, and I repaired the damage. However, I do not believe that the cause of her issues is physical. Your daughter is suppressing a great deal of negative emotions, among them anger, grief and fear. I am sorry to tell you this, my Lord, but there is nothing I can do to help her. She has to overcome this on her own."

Oberon frowned slightly now. "You mentioned old wounds... that had not been treated..."

She nodded. "She did not clarify the cause of them, but indicated her family was too poor at the time for her to get the medical attention needed. Her mother was the one who cared for her medically."

Oberon shrugged off this information. _Surely had it been something of importance, my daughter would have mentioned it,_ he thought. "Very well. Thank you for looking into this matter for me, Grandmother. You may do as you wish now."

Giving him a nod of respect, the native woman calmly got back to her feet and exited the palace once more.

Titania looked at him. "What are your plans regarding your daughter, husband?"

He frowned slightly. "At this point, it seems all I can do is monitor her eating, and hope she regains her strength _and_ her control. Once she has adjusted to the changes here, the rest will go away."

His lady Queen gave him a smile, and said nothing. Though the Fey Queen was curious about what would happen if the young Halfling did _not_ adjust to the changes. While she was highly amused at the battle of wills she witnessed (and Oberon's attempts at parenting a mortal-raised daughter were simply hysterical), Titania couldn't help but feel a tinge of concern for the new addition to their Court. However, she would not voice these concerns just yet. It was not her place to do so, for one and for another... watching the brash and outspoken young woman openly questioning Oberon's decisions was a source of entertainment unlike any seen before on Avalon.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Lauren let Coyote lead her around the Island, pointing out a few moderately interesting things along the way (a small corner of Avalon claimed by Anansi, for instance, which was covered in webbing and countless spiders). The trek had taken several hours and the sun was starting to slowly make its way down toward the horizon, when they made their final stop on the tour.

The girl blinked and stopped in her tracks when she saw rows of trees, all containing fruits of every known description, taking up an area about a half mile squared.

"You guys have an orchard here?"

He smirked. "Kinda looks like it, doesn't it?" Before she could say anything, he had her by the hand and was leading her onward. After walking for a few minutes, he seated himself under an apple tree. "Hey, take a load off. We've been walking for a few hours. Help yourself to any fruit you want, while you're at it."

Blinking, the girl shrugged and plucked two apples off of the tree and then sat down to join the trickster. He accepted the proffered apple, immediately taking a bite. Then he looked over at his companion and raised an eyebrow when he saw she hadn't moved to make a start on her own. "Aren't you going to eat that?"

That teeny smile came to her face. "I'll eat it, don't worry." One of her hands unconsciously started rubbing her left shoulder, and she was a little surprised to find herself suppressing a yawn.

_Well, I DID get up pretty damn early this morning, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised I'm getting tired before the sun's even set..._ The apple switched hands and the other hand worked on the other shoulder.

Coyote blinked. "Are you okay?"

She looked up at him curiously. "What?"

"You keep rubbing your shoulders. Are you okay?"

She blinked herself now, only realizing she had been doing it now. "It's just a small ache in my neck and shoulders." She waved the matter off, not noticing the mischief that briefly flashed in Coyote's eyes.

They fey shook his head immediately. "Stress reduction, remember? Grandmother's orders, so one massage coming up!" Before she could protest, he moved behind her, and gently moved her hair out of the way so he could have access to the offending areas.

"Coyote, this really isn't..."

Her words cut off when she first hissed, and then couldn't help but let out a small sigh as his hands and fingers started working out the kinks.

_Ah, what the hell? He's right about the stress, and even though I'm not worried about the occasional ache or pain, I have to admit this sure FEELS good..._

"I notice you're not launching any complaints. Is it possible you could actually be _enjoying_ this?" She didn't have to see his face to know he was smirking.

"Mmmmm... Shut up, Coyote..."

He chuckled now. "Yes, Princess."

"Never call me that again," she said, though she wasn't able to put much feeling behind it.

"As you wish, my Lady," he said, not bothering to keep the humor out of his voice. Then it turned just slightly more serious. "Damn, you really _are_ tense. You need to learn to relax a little more."

"Easier said than done," she murmured.

"Yeah, well I'm getting rid of some of this tension right now, so you just relax right where you are, and let me do my thing here."

She said nothing in response to this, but gave a small nod. While she knew it was only temporary relief, it _was_ relief. And sitting there, feeling those hands working on her sore muscles, she could almost imagine for a moment that it was Puck. After a moment of considering this notion, however, it became too painful for her to think about and she quickly shoved it out of her mind. Her eyes were still closed though, and they didn't seem to want to open. She heard Coyote start humming quietly to himself as he worked, and the combination of the oddly soothing, yet unfamiliar tune, and the magic of his hands quickly worked a spell on her and she felt sleep overtake her.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Coyote, for his part, was more than a little surprised when Lauren suddenly went limp and just seemed to fall back against him. After having a brief moment of panic, he was relieved when he saw she was merely asleep.

_I guess I shouldn't be surprised,_ he thought. _The poor thing's been through an emotional wringer, so of course she'd be exhausted._

Seeing that the sun had just vanished behind the horizon, and hearing the distant sounds of the Avalon Clan awakening, he shrugged to himself. There was no way he was going to wake her up just so she could meet the gargoyles tonight. This girl clearly needed her rest.

Carefully lifting the young woman into his arms, he had to cringe when he realized just how light she was. _Shit, there is no way this can be healthy,_ he thought a little uneasily. Hoping that the situation would correct itself sooner rather than later, the Fey and Halfling vanished in a whirlwind, so the sleeping Princess could be put to bed.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

**Okay, there's a nice long chapter for you guys to chew on! Please tell me what you think in the reviews!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Boy, oh Boy, are you guys gonna wanna murder me after you're done this chapter... hehehe. **

**Okay, I have to give a warning here, just in case I have more sensitive readers. I hate to do this, since it's a big-time spoiler, but if anyone is sensitive to issues of suicide, proceed at your own risk.**

**I will also have to give one of my fans credit for giving me an idea, but I'll do that at the END of the chapter, since it would just be one more spoiler, and I know nobody likes to see those.**

**All that being said, one more minor warning. This chapter is pretty depressing during a lot of parts. **

**Ok, I'll just say I don't own Gargoyles. Only Lauren. **

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

When Lauren woke up, she was a little confused as to why she was in her bed. Then she remembered what happened in the orchard and sighed. _Well, at least he brought me to my room._ Looking at the window and seeing the sunlight streaming in, she shook her head. _Damn, so much for meeting the gargoyles. If all goes well today, I won't even be here by tonight._

She noticed she was also dressed in a plain, off white night-tee that went down past her knees. Blinking curiously, she looked at her bedside table and saw a fresh change of clothes and... the apple she had been holding before she'd zonked out. Beneath the apple was a piece of paper. Picking it up, she had to smile a little when she saw a single word written in all capital letters.

"EAT."

_I think Coyote has designated himself as my PERMANENT babysitter,_ she thought. She took the apple and ate it slowly before she got up, changed into her new t-shirt and jeans, and got ready to start her day. She grabbed a book out of her bag, opened the door to her room, and stepped outside.

This time she was able to find the exit without help, much to her relief. She hadn't run into anyone yet, and she quickly made her way into the woods, hoping to keep it that way. She made it to the clearing she had found her first day here, settled down under a tree, and kept herself occupied by reading.

Lauren wasn't sure how long she sat there before her body demanded she switch positions. Doing so, she blinked when she felt something digging into her thigh from inside her jeans pocket. Curious, she set the book aside, reached into her pocket and found the locket her uncle had given her before she had left New York.

_How the hell did...?_ Then she shook her head. _Don't question it. Just be relieved that you've still got it._

Before she even realized what she was doing, Lauren had the locket open and found herself looking at the tiny pictures. Her uncle hadn't appeared to change much in the seventeen years since this photo had been taken. His hair was the same basic style, but she could see no evidence of his pony tail. In addition to this, he was clean shaven, making him look even more handsome, and in the years since the photo was taken, he'd developed some laugh lines around his mouth.

Her _mother_ on the other hand... In the photo she looked young, fresh, happy. Her long chestnut hair had been styled in elegant waves that framed her face, and her lips were pulled back into a wide smile. Lauren thought back on how her mother had looked when she had last seen her alive. There had been evidence of greying at her temples, she'd had deep laugh lines, and she'd always looked absolutely deflated... miserable. By the time her mother had died, she'd looked almost twice her age.

Looking at the photo now, she somewhat numbly took note that the only physical characteristic she seemed to have inherited from her mother were her dark blue eyes. Everything else... her paler skin, her hair... it certainly hadn't come from her mother. Realizing this now, it made her feel worse than before, and she couldn't help but let out a sigh.

"Who're they? Your mom and step-dad?" came a voice from _above_ her, almost making her jump clean out of her skin. Looking up, she tried not to be annoyed when she saw Raven on a branch above her.

She frowned slightly, remembering her last encounter with him. _Well, as long as he behaves this time..._ She also remembered the stories she'd heard from Goliath, but forced herself to shove them out of her mind. She had had decent conversation with the Weird Sisters and _they_ had sided with the Arch Mage and caused the death of the Magus, so she shouldn't permanently judge Raven for his past actions.

Besides, if he tried something again, _this_ time she could wallop him.

"You're half right. It's my mother and... my uncle."

She almost had a heart attack when he suddenly dropped from the branch and landed steadily on his feet beside her. Lauren frowned slightly, but said nothing as he leaned forward to examine the pictures a little closer. His expression turned contemplative.

"She's pretty," he said simply.

"Yeah... she was," she said quietly. She looked at the picture for a few more seconds and then shook her head. "I hardly look like her at all. I look like..." she trailed off.

Raven raised an eyebrow as he looked her over in an obvious manner. "If you're about to say you look like _Oberon_ then I'm going to have to correct you on that one..."

She frowned. "Then I look like whatever form he was wearing when he... met my mother," she said, refraining from saying what she really wanted to.

Lauren should have known the trickster at her side wasn't fooled by her words. "You were about to say something else, weren't you?" He sat under the tree with her, but kept a small distance between them.

"Yes, but I was trying to say it in a non-offensive way."

"Well, you've officially got me curious, so..."

She sighed heavily, cutting off what he was about to say. "Fine. When he fucked and forgot my mother. How's that?"

He winced. "Ouch. A little resentful, are you?"

She snorted. "I think I've earned that right after seventeen years of him not being there for us."

Raven frowned at her a little. "Maybe that's because he didn't _know_ you existed. It happens, you know. Besides, your uncle is Money-Bags Xanatos. It's not like you've had such a hard life, so why don't you just _try_ taking some joy out of your new position here?"

Lauren almost blew her stack at him until the thought occurred to her... _Is that what Oberon thinks? That I spent my life being spoiled by my rich uncle? That I grew up being an entitled brat?_

That thought made her anger dissipate almost immediately, and it was replaced with an overwhelming urge to cry.

Raven blinked when he saw the woman's shoulders start to shake and felt his eyes go wide when he saw the tears start spilling from her eyes.

Panic set in as he quickly tried calming her. "Whoa, hey! What'd I say? Nononononono! Please, stop crying!" When she showed no signs of stopping, he quickly put his hands on her shoulders, trying not to touch her anywhere that would get him in trouble. _Oh, crap, if Oberon finds out about this, I'm so fucked..._ Having that thought go through his mind, he redoubled his efforts to calm her down. "Okay, look, whatever I said, I take it back! Just _please_ stop crying!" Feeling awkward, he pulled her close to him. _Damn it, I've been wanting to hold her, but not like THIS..._

Before he could do anything else, an obviously irate Coyote stormed into the clearing, immediately yanked Raven away from her and pinned him to a tree.

"_What the fuck did you say to her?"_ he demanded.

The obviously confused fey shook his head. "I don't _know_ what it was that set her off like this! I swear! If you think I did something to _deliberately_ make Lord Oberon's daughter _cry,_ you're outta your mind! I'm not suicidal!"

Coyote frowned at him for a long moment. Then he cast a glance to where Lauren was finally starting to get herself under some semblance of control. "Lauren, I'll be back in a little bit." Then he looked back at the other native fey. "You and I are going for a talk. Come on." Not giving him a chance to argue, he grabbed Raven's wrist and dragged him out of the clearing.

Once they were far out of earshot, Coyote released his wrist and looked at his cousin. "Okay... think back and tell me what happened."

Raven considered for a moment, and then explained what had transpired. "I mean, maybe I could have put it in a bit of a nicer way, but to have her go off the deep end over me pointing out a simple _fact..."_

The other fey sighed irritably and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Actually, Raven, you're statement was nothing but pure bullshit."

He stared at him in disbelief. "Come _on!_ Her uncle's one of the richest men in the world! How difficult could her life have been?"

"She didn't even _know_ she was related to David Xanatos until two weeks ago!" he spat back.

He now looked more confused than ever. "What?"

Coyote looked at his cousin for a long moment, and then sighed. "Okay, I'll let you in on something to keep you from making a complete ass of yourself again... I don't know any details, but..." He told Raven what little he knew about Lauren and watched as his companion's eyes steadily got larger and larger.

When he was done, the long haired fey scowled and shook his head. "Well, that's one way to make me feel like a complete and utter dick... And now I have to apologize or risk her bringing the wrath of Oberon down on my head..."

Coyote shook his head. "I wouldn't worry about _that._ I don't think Lauren's the sort to go crying to other people when she has a problem, and she doesn't really even _like_ Oberon in the first place, from what I can tell. She won't blow the whistle on you, believe me. If you apologize, then do it for the sake of apologizing, not so it'll get you out of possible trouble."

Raven thought back on his conversation with Lauren and winced. _Damn it! Now I feel fucking GUILTY!_ He let out a long sigh and shook his head. "Okay, I'll go apologize for being an inconsiderate prick." He headed back in the direction they came from in search of the Princess.

Deciding to give his cousin a little privacy for a few minutes, Coyote stayed back.

Entering the clearing once again, Raven hesitated when he saw the girl still sitting where she had been. He slowly made his way forward, not entirely certain how to approach her. His perspective of her had changed in the last few minutes and (surprisingly) he was less concerned about getting a lay out of her, and more concerned about her current mental state.

"Lauren?" he asked, almost hesitantly.

"I'm sorry about earlier," she said quietly, almost flooring the trickster. "I didn't mean to put you in such an awkward position."

His eyes went huge. "Wait, _what?"_ He came forward then, kneeling on the ground in front of her. "Let me get this straight... I made you cry... and _you're_ apologizing to _me?"_

"I take it Coyote told you about me, and the reason you said what you did was that you simply didn't know. All anyone here knows is that my mother is dead, Oberon's my father, and Mr. Xanatos is my uncle. Knowing only those three things, it's easy to see why people would jump to the same conclusion that you did."

He frowned a little now as he looked at her thoughtfully. Then he let out a long sigh. "Look, Princess. Maybe I'm not the nicest guy out there, but I'm not a heartless jackass either. And even if my assumptions _had_ been true, it was out of line for me to talk to you like that. So... I'm sorry."

Lauren looked up for the first time and looked at him thoughtfully. "I'll forgive you on one condition."

His expression turned wary now, his mind going to numerous horrible "conditions" that might be on the girl's mind. "And what's that?" he asked, not sure whether he wanted to know or not.

She gave him a pointed look. "_Never_ call me "princess" again."

Raven blinked now. "That's it?"

She raised an eyebrow. "What did you think the condition was going to be? That you had to jump head first into the volcano?"

"Well, maybe not _that_ extreme, but... I don't know... I was expecting some kind of blackmail..."

She snorted. "_That,_ my dear Raven, would make me a bitch. And that's really not a label I want stamped to my forehead."

He was looking at her with wide eyes, one hand slowly coming up to touch her right cheek. Her expression turned wary and he couldn't help but smirk. "You know... right now I'm fighting off an almost overwhelming urge to kiss the hell out of you."

She rolled her eyes. "_That_ would get you slapped. And that's only if I didn't have a "knee-jerk" reaction first."

He dropped his hand and continued smirking at her. "I'm almost thinking it would be worth the pain."

"_I'm_ thinking," Coyote said loudly from behind them. "That it's almost time for the banquet."

Raven turned, trying not to look _too_ annoyed, while Lauren blinked. "Really? Already?"

She couldn't help it as she felt her stomach drop. Knowing that she was going to be talking to Oberon soon, and not knowing how he was going to react made her rather nervous.

Coyote nodded. "Yup, it's that time again. So let's head back to the palace."

She sighed. "Okay, I've just got to swing by my room to put my book away."

He shook his head. "Hand it here." Shrugging, the girl handed it over and the fey focused for a moment before the book vanished into thin air. "You'll find it on your bed," he said, a smirk on his face.

Lauren felt her tiny smile come to her face. "If I had better control over my magic right now, I'd ask you to show me how to do that," she said.

He shrugged. "Maybe some time. For now, let's get to that feast."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Once they had entered the hall, Coyote and Raven went off to find a seat, and Lauren made her way to the throne. She seated herself quietly beside her father, heard as he announced the start of the meal, and momentarily distracted her mind by taking note of the fish with mashed potatoes and gravy sitting on the plate in front of her. She also saw a glass of orange juice sitting beside her plate.

She slowly started to eat, completely oblivious to the flavours, as she tried to think of a way to broach the subject with Oberon. It wasn't so much that he _scared_ her, it was more that he just intimidated the hell out of her... even though she refused to let him in on that fact. Being her father, she knew he would never hurt her, but that didn't mean he couldn't punish her in _other_ ways. She had a feeling that the lady with the metal plate over her mouth was such an example of one of his punishments.

She felt her stomach flip-flop alarmingly and put down her fork for a few moments, allowing the quarter plate she had eaten to settle down in her stomach. Then she took in a deep breath, let it out slowly, and reminded herself that she had made a promise that she intended to keep.

_Just talk to him already!_ A voice in her head screamed.

Stubbornly fighting off her nervousness, Lauren turned to her father and somehow managed to keep herself looking and sounding composed and rational.

"Oberon?" she asked, keeping her voice at a lower volume so as to not attract any attention from the others in the room. Once she had his attention, she continued on. "I was wondering if I could speak to you alone after the banquet."

He frowned slightly. "What matter cannot be addressed in the presence of my court?"

_Fuck, he WOULD have to ask that,_ she thought bitterly as she framed her reply.

"It's a matter that I'm afraid might result in some arguments, and I don't want to cause a scene in front of everyone."

"One thing you must learn, Lauren, is that there are no secrets among my court. If it is a matter you wish to bring forth, then you should do so now instead of later."

_And there goes the rest of my appetite_, she thought. She _really_ didn't want to get into this matter in front of everyone, but once again, it seemed her feelings on the matter weren't important.

_Okay, just suck it up and dive on in,_ she told herself.

She sighed. "Okay, but I warned you..." She took in a deep breath. "I don't think things are going to work out for me here on Avalon," she blurted out.

His eyes narrowed now. "Just what are you getting at?"

"Look, Avalon is a beautiful place, but I don't fit in at all. I can't even practice my _magic_ here without risking that I die, and my magic _was_ my stress reliever back home. It was all that kept me from going insane when..."

"Avalon _is_ your home, daughter," Oberon said, cutting her off.

She shook her head. "You _want_ it to be my home, but I can never actually consider it home. Not after being born and raised in the human world. I've always considered New York to be my home, and I don't think that's ever going to change. To _visit_ Avalon would be one thing, but to actually _live_ here permanently? And it's not just that, but..."

"You are my daughter and your place is _here,"_ he said, his voice taking on a harder edge.

"Oberon, _please_. There are things about me that you don't know and how I..."

"That is enough, Lauren," he said, his lips pulling down in an unhappy smile.

"If you would just _listen_..."

"_I said that is enough!"_ His voice boomed across the hall and he stood from the throne, Lauren quickly doing the same. "You will remain here on Avalon, and I am _never_ to hear this from you again! Is that clear?"

Lauren seriously felt a ripping sensation in her chest when those words came from him. She felt rage within her and quickly grasped onto it to keep herself from crying instead. Her internal Bitch Switch turned itself up to "Borderline Suicidal" mode, no longer giving a fuck if she was in front of anyone else or not.

"Yes," she said simply to his question. But her expression plainly told him and everyone else there that she was _not_ a happy Halfling. Oberon was about to retake his seat, satisfied that he had gotten his message across, but Lauren started talking again. "But now, let me make a couple things clear to you, _LORD_ Oberon."

The entire hall went dead silent when she said those words and all eyes were now on father and daughter at the head of the hall. It had been the first time she had used the title of "Lord" when addressing her father and it had been said in a way that was completely void of any form of respect.

Down in the hall, Coyote and Raven both looked on along with the rest of the court.

"Oh shit, Lauren, don't..." Coyote whispered, desperately hoping that she would hear him somehow.

Oberon's eyes briefly flickered to the members of his court, all of whom were watching with sudden rapt interest. Then his eyes were on Lauren once more, his expression showing a deep frown. His daughter's face was a hard mask as she gave him nothing short of a glare.

"Choose your words with great care, daughter," he said, his voice soft, but carrying to all who were present.

She merely nodded silently for a few seconds before she locked his gaze with her own. And she put all the sincerity she could muster into the next words she said.

"I hate you," she said, completely deadpan. "And as far as I'm concerned, _I have no father!"_

Not even giving herself the time to guage his reaction to those words, the girl turned and simply bolted from the palace, wanting to put as much distance between herself and it as she possibly could on this island.

She was in the forest when she felt her magic starting to come to the surface on its own again. The suddenness of the sensation made her stop in her tracks and she desperately tried to stop it from growing any stronger. Again, it seemed to be resisting, and in her current emotional state the struggle was harder than before. She saw her skin was starting to glow green and she felt the burning within her once more.

"Nonononono! Stop it... _Stop it!_" The palms of her hands pressed to her temples as she desperately tried to will her magic to stop rising. Her body started to feel as if it was on fire and she took in a strangled gasp at the pain.

An instant later, she felt a set of arms fly around her and someone was crushing her back to their chest.

"Come on, Lauren! Pull back! I _know_ you can do this!" Coyote's voice sounded almost distant to her, but she could hear the desperation within it.

She strained herself. "Nnngg... It's _burning_ me!"

"I'm right here, Lauren! Now, pull back from the magic! You can do it!"

She let out a strained cry and yanked herself back away from the flame with as much force as she could muster. Instantly her legs gave way from beneath her and she immediately started bawling. She felt Coyote quickly shift his position so he was in front of her and he pulled her close to him, holding her tightly in his arms. Lauren was vaguely aware when he scooped her up into his arms and sat down someplace, but was too upset to give two shits. He continued to hold her and rock her, his voice whispering soothingly in her ear.

A part of her mind processed that after a few moments of whispering soothingly to her, Coyote started singing softly instead. It was a tune she wasn't even remotely familiar with and the words were completely foreign, but it was having an odd calming effect on her. Only moments after he started singing softly to her, she dropped off into sleep.

**0o0o0o0oo0o0o0**

Coyote sat beneath the oak tree, holding the now sleeping Lauren in his arms. The soul-soothing tune of the Ancients had done its job well. The fey unconsciously started running one hand through the Halfling's hair while the other started lazily trailing up and down her back.

He himself hadn't stuck around to see his Lords reaction. He had been right behind the girl from the second she had bolted, having a feeling that leaving her alone right now was a _very_ bad idea. He was thankful he'd listened to his instincts.

He frowned as he looked down at the sleeping girl. _I'm sorry, Lauren. I really am, but if Oberon says you're staying here, then that's what's going to happen... no matter how anyone else feels about the issue._ He sighed and leaned his head against the tree trunk, and then blinked when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

Looking up, he almost started when he saw Oberon approaching their position. The native fey looked from the girl in his arms, up to his Lord, down at her again, and then his eyes locked with his King's.

"She will not wake up while I am here," he stated simply, anticipating what was bothering Coyote. He closed the distance between them and knelt down next to them. The trickster couldn't help but be a little surprised when Oberon gently cupped his daughter's cheek, wiping away a few stray tears with his thumb before he pulled back once more.

"Coyote... I have a request of you."

He blinked hearing this. "You have but to name it, my Lord."

The Fey King was silent for a moment. "Make Lauren happy." He locked gazes with the trickster. "Give her a reason to _want_ to stay on Avalon."

The underlying meaning to his words didn't escape the native. "I will do what I can, my Lord."

He nodded, satisfied with this. "Good." He got to his feet and prepared to leave but Coyote quickly spoke up.

"My Lord?" Once Oberon had turned to regard him, he continued on. "Forgive me for asking this, but I feel I should know just to be safe... How far am I permitted to go in... carrying out your request?"

His question had two meanings behind it, neither of which were lost on Oberon. He regarded the two of them for a long moment before he started speaking again.

"Do not use magic to persuade her. As long as you have her consent, Coyote, I don't care how far you go." Oberon left without another word.

Coyote frowned thoughtfully as he thought over what had just happened. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

_Did Lord Oberon just give me permission to have sex with his daughter?_ As long as she consented to it... which was a non-issue since rape was something that Coyote hated with a deep seated passion to begin with and would _never_ do for himself.

He had a brief mental image of the woman in his arms laying beneath him, her hair splayed out on the ground as she looked at him with desire, that little smile playing on her lips. He had to shove the image out of his mind when he felt himself getting an erection.

_Shit, how long has it been since I've been with a woman?_ He wondered. Thinking back, he figured it had to have been at least ten years.

He then remembered the way Oberon had gently touched his daughter only moments before.

_Damn it, Lauren... Oberon DOES care about you. Maybe he doesn't show it very well, but he really does want you to be happy. It's just that he wants you to be happy here on Avalon..._

Coyote continued to hold the young woman for about a half hour before she stirred. Looking down at her, he saw her eyes slowly open and she hesitantly looked up at him.

"Hey... are you feeling better now?" he asked, not bothering to hide his concern.

Lauren let out a shaky sigh and lowered her gaze. "Not by much," she said quietly.

He sighed himself now and shook his head. "Oh, Lauren... come here." He pulled her head into his chest and kept holding her for a few moments as she started crying quietly. "I wish there was something more I could do for you than this, but..." he trailed off, not sure how he should finish the sentence.

She hesitantly looked up again. Coyote cupped her cheek and gently wiped her tears away. Before she could say or do anything, the fey closed the distance between them and his lips were pressing against her own.

Lauren's eyes went wide with this action, and she was momentarily indecisive as to what she should do. She felt his warm lips against hers and the comfort it gave her was almost tangible, and a part of her wanted to just give in entirely. But then... an image of Puck formed in her mind and she once again remembered her promise.

Coyote noticed that the woman wasn't reciprocating his kiss, so he pulled back and saw her regretful expression. "Lauren?"

She couldn't bring herself to look at him. "I'm sorry, Coyote... but I can't do this."

_Shit,_ Coyote thought. _She's not into me that way, so there goes Oberon's plan. Let's dig a little deeper here and see if we can find an alternative solution..._

"You like somebody else?" he asked her gently, not wanting her to think he was upset over this.

She just nodded silently.

_Okay, chances are that it's nobody on Avalon. I'll just find out who it is and maybe Oberon can arrange for him to come here._

"Do you mind if I ask who?"

She seemed to hesitate and then said simply: "Puck."

His eyes went wide hearing this. _"Puck?_"

_Oh, shit, this is NOT going to go over well with Oberon..._

She frowned at him now. "Is it really _that_ surprising?"

He hesitated. "Well, it's just that Puck doesn't usually show too much interest in relationships. The fact that there's something going on between you two is just surprising, is all. But... you _do_ know that Puck was banished eternally from Avalon, right?"

Her expression strained slightly as she nodded. "Yes, but..."

"So how can you have a relationship with someone if you can't even see one another?"

She cringed slightly when he said this, but her expression turned determined. "We _will_ see each other again."

Coyote blinked. "Wait a minute, are you _still_ determined that you're going back to New York?"

Lauren dislodged herself from his arms and got to her feet. "I told them I'd be back. I _have_ to find a way."

The fey couldn't help but feel some annoyance come to him. If there was one thing she and Oberon had in common, it was that they were both as stubborn as an ornery mule. He got to his feet himself now and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Lauren... I understand that you want to go back, but... Oberon told you flat out that you can't even bring the _subject_ up with him again. And Oberon is the _only_ one who can give you the authorization to leave Avalon."

"I _promised_ them..." she said, knowing herself just how weak her argument sounded.

For the first time, Coyote sighed irritably. "Damn it, Lauren! Don't you understand? Being stubborn is _not_ going to help you this time!" His voice had raised slightly, and he was trying to keep himself calm, but DAMN IT! Fine, maybe he was a _little_ jealous of Puck, but that was besides the point. Her outright refusal to back down on the issue was what was the most frustrating.

"I can't just give up!"

"Yeah, because being stubborn _really_ helped your uncle and mother, right?" he said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

He regretted his words instantly and inwardly kicked himself for saying them. He heard a horrified gasp and wasn't surprised when a harsh slap sounded in the clearing, leaving him with a stinging cheek. She stood before him, her head down and trembling in rage.

He immediately tried fixing the situation. He gently reached out, making sure that his regret showed plainly on his face. "Lauren... I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I..."

"Just go," she said, her voice trembling.

"Lauren, _please..."_

"I said _**go!**_" Her power spiked with this scream and he saw the green glow of her magic briefly flicker over her skin and saw her eyes flare angrily.

_Okay, just back off for now,_ he thought. _She's not in a reasonable mood right now, so just let her cool off and try smoothing things over later. If I stay she might go into a complete fit that I WON'T be able to get her out of._

He lifted both of his hands and took a step back. "Okay. I'm going. I'll be at the palace if you need me." He left the area and slowly started back to the palace.

The second Lauren saw he was gone, she fell to her knees and cried once more. After a few minutes, she forced herself to stop. _Come on, Lauren,_ she told herself. _Pull yourself together. You've been crying every five fucking minutes today, now give it a rest!_ She took in a deep breath and forced herself to calm down once more.

She started going over the previous events in her mind, and couldn't help but cringe when she remembered slapping Coyote. He'd been with her every step of the way since she had arrived on Avalon, and he had simply been trying to make her understand his point of view. She knew he hadn't meant what he had said to her, and his immediate look of regret and attempted apology only supported that notion. Not to mention she'd probably hurt him when she told him she wasn't interested in him in that way, so his anger had spoken for him.

Sighing, she got to her feet again and started back to the palace. Even if it meant possibly seeing Oberon again, she had to find Coyote and apologize for her reaction.

Approaching the door leading to the hall, she blinked when she heard a conversation taking place inside. Opening the door a few feet, she saw Coyote talking to Oberon. Curious in spite of herself, she stopped to listen.

"...rejected my advances," she heard Coyote say.

Oberon appeared to be more amused than anything else. "Rare for a woman to say no to you, is it not, Coyote? Did she give you a reason?"

"She... likes somebody else, my Lord."

"Really? Did she tell you who this lucky individual is?"

He took in a slow deep breath. "It's... Puck, Lord Oberon. He's one of the reasons she wants to return to New York so desperately."

The Fey King let out a heavy sigh hearing this and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why does it not surprise me that she wishes to be with one who openly defied and opposed me?" He looked at the native trickster. "Is she not aware that such a relationship is no longer possible? That Puck was banished from Avalon for all time?"

He nodded. "Yes, she does know, but she remains stubborn in her conviction to return to New York. Given what I've been told about her and from what she's told me about herself, I can understand why she..."

Titania cleared her throat loudly, and when they saw she was looking toward the door, Lord and trickster both turned to see what had caught their Queen's attention.

Standing in the doorway, with an expression of disbelief and betrayal, was Lauren. She shook her head slowly and then turned and stormed off.

"Shit! Lauren, wait! It's not what you think!" Coyote charged out the door after her.

Oberon let out another heavy sigh as he leaned back in his throne and irritably rubbed his temples. "Why must she make things so very difficult?"

Titania smirked at him now. "Try raising a teenager in the _mortal_ world. At least here, you're able to keep a close eye on her since there isn't many places she can go. But then... perhaps that is another issue she may be having with Avalon. It has been my experience that mortals do not react well to being confined in their movement."

"You know why I do this, my love."

She nodded. "You're right; I do. So does everyone else on Avalon... _except_ for your daughter."

"You know my reasons for that as well, Titania. She will want to leave even more if she _does_ know why I brought her here. No. Keeping it a secret from her is best for now."

Titania said nothing to this, deciding to let the subject drop. But she couldn't help but wonder if Oberon's decisions were _truly_ for the best. Oh, she understood his reasons _very_ well. But the question she had to ask was: Which was most important... safety or freedom?

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Lauren, hold on! Let me explain!" Coyote said, trailing after a fuming Lauren.

"I was coming to apologize for slapping you across the face! Lord knows why I bothered now that I know the only reason you made a pass at me in the first place is because _Oberon_ ordered you to!"

"It's not like that!" He frowned now. She had the nerve to say Oberon never listened, and then she turns around and does the same damn thing! Deciding he'd had more than enough, he charged forward, cutting off her path, put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her into the side of a tree. "_Damn it, will you LISTEN to me?_"

The woman immediately flinched and her eyes shut tight. Coyote blinked and then realized it must be a reflex from her seventeen years of living with her step-father. She didn't think he would ever actually _hit_ her, did she?

Putting a clamp on his temper, he moved his hands from her shoulders and cupped her face with them instead, making her look at him as he softened his expression. She hesitantly opened her eyes.

"Listen to me. First of all, just to get it out of the way right now... I'm sorry about what I said to you earlier. It was a completely dick move on my part, and I was _way_ out of line. I never meant to hurt you. And secondly, Oberon didn't _order_ me to do anything. It was a _request._ He left the decision of doing it or not up to me." He let a slightly sheepish smile come to his face as he started gently running his fingers down the sides of her face. "To be honest with you, I was planning on making a play for you even before Oberon asked me to. Look, if you don't want to be with me that way, that's fine. I'm not upset about that. Hell, I'm immortal, it's not like I'm running out of steam or anything, but..." He sighed heavily and gave her a look that bordered on desperation. "Lauren, don't cut me off completely. Please! You are under a huge amount of stress right now and you need _somebody_ to talk to, to hold you, to let you rant and rave if you want. I still want to be there for you, even if it's not... in the romantic sense."

She closed her eyes for a few moments and nodded. "Okay. I'm not angry at you anymore... but I'm still angry at Oberon."

He sighed. "I understand why you still are but... Lauren... Whether he's good at showing it to you or not, Oberon _does_ care about you. He was just trying to make you happy in his own way."

"If he wants me to be happy, then he'll send me back home, because right now I feel like a prisoner more than anything else." Then she sighed and rubbed her temples. "I'm getting a stress headache..."

Coyote smirked a little as he brushed his fingers lightly against her forehead and a look of relief crossed her face. She gave him a tiny thanking smile.

The fey decided it would be for the best if he changed the subject while he had the chance. "Hey, you only ate like a quarter of your meal in the hall earlier. Want to go to the orchard? At least fruit should go down and stay down."

She sighed. "I have zero appetite right now, but I guess I should try."

"'Kay, and the sun'll be going down in about an hour, so once we spend some time in the orchard, you can meet the gargoyles... if you don't zonk out on me again, that is."

"I'll try, but no promises. Today was more stressful than yesterday was. I'll probably hit the sack right after I have the introductions."

His smirk widened. "Well, I guess we'll see then." He offered her his arm in a flamboyant fashion. "Shall we, my Lady?"

Nodding, she hooked her arm with his own and let him lead her back to the orchard.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

One apple and a peach later, Lauren and Coyote were pretty much enjoying a peaceful evening on Avalon, neither feeling the need to break the silence with conversation. Actually, the fey figured Lauren was being quiet because she was deep in thought, and he didn't think she would appreciate her thought process being interrupted. Her pretty face was set in a contemplative frown, her eyes staring at the ground six feet in front of her. He didn't have to even guess as to what she was thinking about.

How to convince Lord Oberon to send her back when she couldn't even bring the subject up with him.

Her thinking process was cut short when the sun went down and the distant roars of the awakening gargoyles snapped her out of it. The girl stifled a sudden yawn, and then climbed to her feet with a sigh.

Coyote followed her lead, breaking the silence. "So, ready to meet some of the Avalon Clan?"

She nodded. "Yeah, let's try keeping it short and sweet, though. I'm starting to feel a little dead on my feet now."

He nodded. "You look ready to hit the sack, so let's go on a search for the clan leaders. Other introductions can come later."

Shrugging, she let the fey take her by her hand and start leading her back to the palace. Coyote kept an eye on the skies as they walked, and suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes spying two gargoyles gliding by overhead. He let out a shrill whistle and raised his arm to signal the two, and they changed course, now making their way toward the two of them.

It became clear that it was a male and female as they drew nearer. The female stood out the most due to an alarming projection jutting out from her forehead, which reminded Lauren of a Triceratops' top plate. Her coloring was an aqua blue, like Broadways' and she had brown hair that seemed to have just a tint of red.

The male gargoyle was a few shades darker than the female. He had two prominent horns sticking out from his forehead and sloping back along the sides of his head. His ears were similar to Broadways' and, once the two of them had landed, the Halfling saw he had two small projections jutting out from either side of his chin.

Coyote nodded to them both. "Well, good morning." He pulled Lauren forward. "This is the girl I was telling you about last night. She's really been wanting to meet you guys so... This is Lauren, daughter of Oberon. Lauren, this is the leader of the Avalon clan, Gabriel, and his mate and second in command, Ophelia."

The leader smiled at her and immediately shook her hand. "It is an honour to meet you, Lauren."

Ophelia nodded as well now, taking the girls hand. "Yes, welcome to Avalon."

The Halfling nodded to them, a tiny smile on her face. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Coyote smirked now as he put his hand on the small of her back. "Well, we'd stay and visit with you guys, but our newest court member needs some sleep for the night. She's been fighting to stay awake just so she could meet you guys. Maybe she'll be in shape to visit and make the rest of the introductions tomorrow night."

Gabriel nodded. "Then you go get your sleep. Ophelia and I were just on our way to get some breakfast, so we'll see you later, Coyote."

The two gargoyles gave Lauren a quick bow of respect, and then they were off.

Coyote put his hand on the small of Lauren's back and gently urged her forward. A few moments of walking later, they exited the forest and the palace was in plain sight once more. Coyote blinked and stopped in his tracks when he realized Lauren was no longer beside him. Looking back, he saw the woman looking at the building with a strained expression on her face.

"Lauren?"

She sighed then. "Um... could we... take the side entrance in? It's just... I really don't want to see Oberon right now..."

A look of realization crossed his features and he nodded immediately. "Sure. This way." He gently took a hold of her arm and led her around the side of the building, to the less-used entrance. Once inside, Coyote brought her through a few twists and turns before they ended up in her room.

The first thing Lauren did was place the book that had been transferred to her room earlier into her bag, and then turned to see that Coyote was standing there, watching her intently.

He quickly shook his head and cleared his throat. "Want a nightgown for tonight and some clothes to change into tomorrow?"

She blinked and nodded. "Yes, please and thank you."

A minute later she was in a light blue, floor-length, spaghetti-strap nightgown, another bundle of clothes appeared on her nightstand, and Coyote was gently leading her to the bed. "Okay, now one more spell and you should be out for the night. I doubt you'd be able to fall asleep on your own after today."

She snorted. "You'd probably be right about that."

He gave her a smirk. "Okay, under the covers with you, then. Tomorrow's another day."

Lauren simply did as she was told, too exhausted from the day to do any more visiting. The events of the day, of Oberon's words and actions, simply left her head spinning and running around in circles, trying to find a solution to her problem. Everything was _too_ fresh right now. Her emotions were still raw. It would be better to think on the situation tomorrow.

She felt Coyote's fingers brush her cheek, and then move up the side of her face until they were resting on her temple. Looking up, she saw him smirking at her.

"Goodnight, Lauren. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Coyote," she said quietly, seconds before her mind was swept away.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The next morning, Lauren was out of the palace and in that same little clearing, alternating between trying to read, and trying to think of a way to get the hell back to New York.

Unfortunately, sleeping on it hadn't helped. The situation hadn't changed, and she had no idea what else she could possibly do. Obviously, _talking_ to Oberon wasn't going to work, and not just because he forbade her from bringing up the subject with him again. Her father, from what she could tell, had a rather irritating tendency to not listen and cut her off when she was trying to tell him about her life.

She was so involved in her thinking that she almost jumped clean out of her skin when she felt a hand fall onto her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Coyote holding both of his hands up with an amused expression on his face.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. The banquet's starting soon, and I was sent to fetch you."

Lauren blinked and then looked up at the sky to see the sun was just about directly overhead. Remembering the banquet the day before, she groaned. She still really didn't want to go near Oberon, but now she had to go sit in a fucking throne beside His Royal Pompous Ass.

She got to her feet, looking as if she'd rather be sitting down to tea with Anansi. "Let's just do this and get it over with," she muttered with a heavy sigh. She started off toward the palace, not even checking to see if Coyote was following her.

When she entered the palace, she stubbornly kept her head down as she made her way to the front of the hall to take her seat. She adamantly refused to even look up at Oberon and was fervently hoping that he didn't feel the need to start a conversation with her.

Her father stood, made his usual announcement, and the food appeared.

Lauren simply kept her eyes fixed on her plate and forced herself to take some bites of her Cesar Salad and white chicken breast. About a half hour into the meal, Lauren heard raised voices in the room, and the sound of chairs sliding across the floor as the two adversaries prepared for the fight.

The girl simply got up without lifting her head, and shot out the door without a word.

She had entered the tree line when the voice rang out from behind her.

"Hey, Lauren! Wait up!"

She cringed inwardly. While she enjoyed Coyote's company immensely, she simply didn't feel like being with anybody right now. All she wanted was to be alone.

She turned hesitantly with a sigh and saw as he blinked curiously when he saw her expression.

"Is everything okay?" he asked her now.

"Coyote, I really don't want you to take this the wrong way, because it's nothing against you at all, but... I'd really just prefer to be alone for a while."

Coyote hesitated, hearing this. He understood the need to spend some time to herself, but he just hoped that it wasn't a sign that she was going to start isolating herself from everyone else on the island. He also knew she probably wanted to think on her situation without any distractions, so...

He shrugged. "Okay, no problem. I'll uh... I'll find you around sunset, okay?"

She nodded. "Sure thing. I'll see you then."

Giving her a wave, he headed back toward the palace, and she resumed her trek to her usual clearing.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

By the time Coyote re-entered the palace, the fight had ended and everyone was quickly finishing their meal. The moment he walked in, Oberon called him over.

"Do you not usually accompany Lauren when she leaves the banquet?"

He nodded. "I normally do, my Lord, but this time she asked to have time to herself."

Oberon frowned slightly. From the second she had entered the hall earlier, Lauren had refused to so much as glance at him, and he never heard her speak so much as a word. She hadn't even lifted her head, even when the fight had broken out.

"Does she honestly believe that sulking will help her?" he asked now, becoming irritated with his daughter and her attitude.

Coyote wasn't sure how to answer _that_ one and actually had to bite his tongue to keep himself from criticizing his Lord over the 'sulking' comment. However, once again he was saved by his lovely and merciful Queen Titania.

"My Lord," she started. "While I do not agree with her being alone, especially given her shaky control over her abilities, I do not believe "sulking" is the best word to describe how she must feel. I'm certain she must still be terribly upset over what happened yesterday, and is still struggling with her new surroundings and company. If you wish it, husband, perhaps I could speak to Lauren for you. I may have more luck getting through to her, given my previous experience raising Fox."

Oberon considered this for a moment and then nodded. "Very well, Titania. Let's hope that she is more receptive to you than she has been to me."

Giving Oberon a nod of respect, she got to her feet and headed out the door of the palace.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Lauren wasn't sure how long she had been sitting in her usual spot when she heard soft footsteps approaching from behind her.

She sighed, thinking Coyote had changed his mind. "Is it too much to ask for some time to myself?" she asked, trying not to sound too irritated.

"I'm sorry, I didn't get the memo," came a vaguely familiar voice that was most certainly _not_ Coyote... unless he had changed genders in the short time since she'd seen him.

The girl whirled and felt her eyes bug out of her head when she saw her mother-in-law standing there, a smirk on her face as she regarded the young Halfling.

"Titania!" She quickly bowed her head to the green skinned Queen of Avalon. "I'm so sorry! I thought you were..."

"You thought I was Coyote, and that he had ignored your request," she said, her smirk still in place. "There's no need to apologize. I know you're going through an incredibly difficult time right now, and you might say a few things you don't truly mean."

She breathed out a massive sigh of relief. _Oh, thank GOD! Titania's definitely far more reasonable than Oberon. It's just too bad it's not up to HER whether I stay or go..._

Titania took a seat upon the root beside Lauren. "Well... I don't think you and I have taken the time to visit yet, have we?"

Lauren simply shook her head, no. She still wanted to be left alone, but had a feeling she should listen to what the Queen had to say.

"I know I don't know anything about you, Lauren, but I felt it would be for the best for me to try speaking to you myself, rather than watching Oberon constantly shove his foot in his mouth without realizing it. I love him with all my heart, but I think everyone knows he's not going to be accepting any awards for Father of the Year any time soon."

She snorted. "That's an understatement."

The green skinned woman chuckled, hearing this. Then she turned serious once more as she regarded the young woman at her side. "I know how difficult your father can be. We were married for a _very_ long time before he divorced me and sent us all out into the mortal world to learn humility. It amazes me that after a thousand years, he is the _one_ among us who has learned nothing from the experience. Before he sent us out, I'll admit that I was terribly vain and self-centered. I carried those traits for quite some time... until I had Fox. The birth of a child can change _anybody,_ Lauren. Oberon only learned of your existence very recently, and you have to understand that he is very much out of his element here. He's used to ruling over his Children, not regarding them as equals, and so it is causing some conflict within him. He truly _does_ wish for you to be happy... even if he's going about trying to bring you that happiness in the wrong way."

Lauren sighed. "At this point, the only thing he could do to make me happy, is to let me go back _home._ He can say Avalon's my home until he's..." She stopped herself and thought a few seconds. "I was going to say "until he's blue in the face," but I don't think that works for him, does it?"

The Queen laughed at this. Then she put a hand on Lauren's shoulder. "I know your heart is still in New York, and that being here, away from your mortal family, is very trying for you. Personally, if I had any say in this matter, I would do as you wish and send you back home. But the decision is not mine to make. And Oberon has made it clear what his opinion on the situation is."

She shook her head slowly. "I don't get it. Why is it so important to him? Why can't I just live in New York and just... _visit _Avalon? Or have him come and we can spend some time together _there?_"

If Lauren had been looking at Titania, she might have noticed the indecision briefly playing across her features. Then she simply said: "I wish I could tell you." She put her arm around the girl and pulled her closer, almost a half hug. "Oberon doesn't always give reasons for his actions, and for the most part, we simply accept his rulings. I know it's very different from what you are used to, and I can tell you're trying to distance yourself from him. Whether you know it or not, and whether Oberon is willing to _admit_ it or not, you hurt him when you spoke to him during the banquet yesterday. It's not that he's a bad person, Lauren. It's that he simply doesn't _know_ how to deal with mortals on such a personal level. It's something he has to learn. And the only way he can learn is through experience."

"He could learn a lot by learning how to _listen_ better, rather than cutting me off whenever I try talking to him," she muttered irritably.

Titania smirked. "Yes, he does have a rather annoying tendency to do that, though he's been doing it with you more often than I've seen him do it with anyone. It may be that he's intimidated by you in some way."

Lauren looked at her for the first time and slowly raised an eyebrow. _"Him?_ Intimidated by _me?_" She shook her head, somehow unable to see it.

She shrugged. "It's a possibility. As I said, he's not used to dealing with mortal's on a personal level, and he may be viewing you as a challenge that he's not quite sure how to face. Or it could be I'm completely off. The only one who knows what's going through his mind, is Oberon himself." She paused for a moment and then switched gears slightly, turning the attention away from her husband. "Listen. Until recently, you didn't know about gargoyles or about us. I'm sure you're feeling very overwhelmed and intimidated yourself with everything that's happened. I think you would benefit greatly by visiting with Princess Katherine and Tom. While they may not be from your era, they are human and you may find yourself able to better relate to them. They may be able to help you to better relax."

Lauren blinked and considered this. She _did_ feel out of place here on Avalon, and maybe visiting with the Princess and Tom was just the kind of distraction her mind needed. Besides, she'd told Angela she'd say hello for her, and it would be a great way to hear some stories from the "old" days.

The corner of her lips barely quirked and she nodded. "Maybe that's a good idea."

Titania gave her a kind smile and stood up. "Come with me, then, and I'll introduce you before returning to Oberon's side."

The girl got to her feet with a nod and proceeded to walk beside the Queen of Avalon.

She frowned after a moment. "I've been wondering... what did you say to Oberon to convince him to give me my regular clothes back?"

She smirked now. "If I'd wanted you to know, I would not have whispered in his ear, now would I?"

Lauren couldn't help it as a tiny smile came to her face. "I should have known you were going to say something like that... Well, whatever it was you said, thank you."

Titania gave her a smile of her own and nodded in acknowledgement to the thanks.

The remainder of the walk was spent in silence as Titania led her to the section of the palace that housed the island's human inhabitants. Only a few seconds after knocking on the door, it opened to reveal a man in medieval armour and greying hair. He smiled immediately when he saw Titania standing there.

"Well, if this isn't a wonderful surprise! Would ye like to come in, Lady Titania?"

She shook her head. "Thank you for the kind invitation, but I must decline. I merely dropped by to introduce you to somebody who has been eager to meet you." Titania gently pushed on the small of Lauren's back to bring her forward. "This is Lauren, the Halfling daughter of Lord Oberon. I'm sure by now that you must have heard of her."

His eyes went wide and his smile broadened. "Ach! Yes, Coyote was telling us and the Eggs about her last night!" He bowed down to Lauren. "It is an honour, my Lady."

The Halfling tried desperately not to cringe at this action, something the Fey Queen noticed before she continued to speak. "She is not used to formality, nor of being treated as royalty, so please forgive her if she seems rather uncomfortable at times. She is finding the change of being on Avalon to be very difficult, and so I suggested that visiting with our resident mortals might ease some of her stress."

Tom nodded immediately. "Oh, of course! Come right on in, Lass. Katherine will be delighted to meet ye." He then bowed to Titania. "My Lady."

She gave him a polite nod, and then simply vanished.

Lauren jumped a little at this. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to seeing _that_..."

He laughed and then gently led her across the threshold and into their home.

It was a fairly large room, about twice the size of her bedroom. Tapestries and suits of armour lined the walls, as well as a large mantle and fireplace, and a couple torches that were giving additional light further back from the fireplace. In the center of the room on the floor was a large fluffy carpet, to separate their feet from the cold stone beneath. A wooden counter lining one of the walls held a collection of daggers and short swords of varying styles and sizes. She could see a doorway leading to a set up stairs heading to the second level opposite to the door she had just entered through. Another door led to what she guessed would be their bedroom and the only other bathroom on Avalon. Sitting in a comfortable-looking chair just a few feet away from the fireplace, was a woman who she guessed was a few years older than Tom, judging by her completely grey hair. She had a simple, golden headband, and a rather plain, but not unappealing, dress.

"Katherine!" Tom said, stepping forward with Lauren at his side. The woman looked up and blinked, seeing the new guest. "This is Oberon's daughter, Lauren. Ye remember Coyote was telling us about her last night?"

Her eyes widened and a smile spread across her face as she stood up immediately. "Oh, yes, of course I remember!" She approached Lauren and gave her a curtsying bow. "Welcome to Avalon and to our home, Princess!"

Lauren quickly came forward. "Please, Princess Katherine, there's no need for you to be so formal. You were raised by royalty, so you're very much used to it, but I was raised in... modest conditions and by... I guess you would call them commoners. So I'm not really comfortable with such formality, although I appreciate the gesture."

Katherine nodded immediately. "Oh, I understand. But it's always a good thing to be safe." She turned to the Guardian. "Tom, could ye get another chair for our guest? I am most eager to hear of how Goliath's clan is faring since last we saw them! And I'm certain she has many questions for us, as well."

A few moments later, the three of them were seated and chatting. Lauren was only too happy to bring the two of them up to date on how the Gargoyles were, and they were both delighted to learn that Angela had chosen a mate in Broadway.

Tom seemed to be trying to remember something. "Now, which one did Elisa tell us chose the name Broadway again?"

"He's the one who... loves his food and who has the same coloring as Ophelia," Lauren said.

Katherine smiled. "Oh, I just know they're going to be happy together." Then she shook her head. "Ach! But look at us, Tom, badgering this poor lass for answers. Now, Lauren... have ye any questions for us?"

She thought for a moment. "Well... I already heard most of your story from Goliath and Angela, but there _is_ something I'm curious about..."

"And what would that be?"

"Well, you were both alive back in Goliath's time, but... that was over a thousand years ago, now. So... how is it possible that you're still alive after all this time?"

The couple blinked and exchanged a look before regarding her again.

"Didn't anyone tell ye?" Katherine asked, obviously surprised.

She shook her head slowly. "No, I just sort of assumed it had something to do with the magic of Avalon."

Tom looked at her then. "Time passes differently here than it does in the mortal world."

Lauren instantly felt her stomach drop. "It... what?" Then she shook her head. "Different how?"

Katherine answered. "For every hour ye spend here on Avalon, a day goes by out there."

She felt all the blood drain from her face in that instant as she felt her eyes bug out of her skull. _Oh God, no... Tell me it's not true. It CAN'T be true! If it's true, then... Shit! How long have I BEEN here? How much time has gone by out there without me? By the time I convince Oberon to send me back, a hundred years could go by!_

"Lauren? _Lauren!"_

Tom gave her shoulders a gentle shake and she somewhat snapped out of her initial shock. Katherine was to her left now, her expression concerned.

"Are ye all right? Ye just went as white as a sheet!"

She tried to form a response to the Princess' question. "I... I uh..." Then her eyes went wide when she felt a burning sensation within her and only now realized that the news had unleashed a floodgate. The instant after she noticed this, she also realized that she had to get the hell out of the building. Now.

Ignoring the increasing pain, she jumped to her feet and dove for the door, just as she started glowing green, and her markings began to form. "I have to get out of here!" she said, desperately trying to hold off the bursting power she felt rising within her until she was outside and at least a somewhat safe distance away.

Of course, the two humans were right behind her, now very concerned and a little confused as to what was happening.

Lauren only made it a few yards from the building when she felt the rising power breaking through her attempted block. Then the power simply surged forward, the burning sensation now intensifying with each second. Before she knew it, a strangled cry of pain came from her and she felt tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Tom, we have to do something!" Katherine didn't even bother hiding that she was now _very_ worried.

The guardian glanced to the right and saw what looked to be all of Oberon's court approaching quickly, Coyote, Oberon and Titania in the lead.

The native trickster immediately made a b-line for the obviously distraught Halfling, hoping to avoid possible disaster. "Lauren!"

He got to within two feet of her when another burst of magic exploded from her, sending him flying back. Raven came to his side instantly.

"Sorry, cousin, but I don't think you're going to be able to stop _this_ one..." he said, frowning as he watched the display.

"We have to stop this! She's not strong enough to handle that much power! She could _die!_"

Oberon turned to the two humans, trying to keep his expression from being accusatory. "What was the cause of this?"

Katherine looked at him, looking a little baffled herself. "She asked how Tom and I could still be alive after a thousand years. When she learned of the time difference, she went into a complete panic!"

Titania looked at them both, not bothering to hide her surprise. "You mean she didn't _know?"_

Coyote made it back to his feet with Raven's help. "Apparently not. That definitely explains why she's so upset though..."

Lauren slowly felt her awareness blur and mesh as the power and the pain continued to grow. She knew that there were more people there now, but she couldn't fathom a guess as to how many or who they were. She didn't really care at the moment either. The news given to her by the Princess and Tom had been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, and for the first time, Lauren didn't care about what happened to her. She simply stopped resisting the flow of magic and embraced whatever might happen.

The last thing she was consciously aware of was her feet lifting off the ground. Seconds later, her ability to distinguish what was happening with her or her surroundings, was gone entirely.

Oberon, his 'Children', and the two mortal residents of Avalon could do nothing but watch the display as it unfolded. As Lauren slowly rose in the air, they saw the markings around her eyes starting to extend out further across her skin until her entire face was the same shade as her father's. It wasn't long before all her visible skin was in the same condition.

When her magic had lifted her to the height of a ten storey building, her power gave one final, massive burst that seemed to keep her encased in a bubble of magic for the span of a few heartbeats. An agonized scream tore from her throat with this final display. Then that power waned and Lauren's appearance returned to that of a mere mortal once more. The last traces of her magic died, she keeled over backwards, and proceeded to plummet headfirst toward the ground.

Coyote was still being supported by Raven, but Oberon shot up into the sky. He quickly supported her back and pushing her into a horizontal position, before holding her bridal-style and gently touching down. Grandmother was at his side instantly.

Lauren's face was now almost pallid, her face streaked with tears, and her breathing was highly irregular. The native healer cupped the girl's face and focused hard for a few moments before giving a slight sigh of relief.

"She did suffer some internal damage, but it is not severe. I will heal her once she is in her bed. She exhausted her magic and needs sleep to recuperate."

Oberon nodded, his expression rather solemn as he looked down upon his daughters' anguished features. "We shall go there now, then. Once Lauren has been healed, I want you to ensure that Coyote was not harmed by her outburst." He looked up at the rest of his court. "The rest of you may do as you wish."

Still holding his daughter securely in his arms, he re-entered the palace with Grandmother close behind.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Lauren slowly became aware that she was bundled up beneath the warm covers of her bed, and felt someone holding her hand. Her eyes blearily opened and somehow she wasn't surprised to see Coyote sitting at her bedside. His gaze was focused on the wall right now, looking deep in thought.

"Coyote?" she asked, her voice sounding heavy with sleep.

Her jerked slightly and his eyes were on her in an instant. "Lauren!" He breathed a massive sigh of relief. "By the Powers, I thought you'd never wake up! How do you feel? Are you okay?"

"I think so, but... what happened?"

He blinked. "You mean... you don't remember?

Her expression strained a little. "I'm not sure... everything's a blur right now. I remember I was with the Princess and Tom... and then..." Her expression slowly changed to being devastated when the memory of their news returned to her. "Oh, God... Why didn't anyone tell me?" she whispered.

He looked at her. "Tell you what?"

"That time passes differently on Avalon than it does in the human realm!"

Coyote shrugged helplessly. "We thought you _knew..._"

Her expression strained again as she climbed out of her bed. "No, I didn't know! If I had I would have fought Oberon _myself_ to keep from coming here! He would have had to drag me here kicking and screaming! But now it's too late and..." Her legs went out from beneath her and she fell to her knees. "I've lost..."

Coyote quickly knelt down at her side. "Lauren..." He gently put a hand on her shoulder, not sure what he could do or say to make her feel any better.

"I'll never see them again... will I?" Her voice sounded completely defeated, and cracked slightly with those words.

He only shook his head, not in response to her question, but because he simply didn't know what he could say. So he did the only thing he could do, pulling the woman close to him again, and holding her as she cried.

When she finally pulled away, Coyote cringed when he saw her expression. She looked absolutely deflated... a woman who had given up hope.

She let out a shaky sigh and climbed to her feet once more. "I need to go somewhere and seriously think about things." She headed to her door but her companion grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"Lauren... after what happened earlier, I don't know if being alone is a good idea for you. You _completely_ lost control and are lucky to be alive!"

"It was just the shock of the news, Coyote. I'll be all right."

Albeit hesitantly, the Fey released her. The girl simply left the room without another word.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

She quickly strolled through the halls of the palace, making her way to the side entrance. She was approaching the door, when a now almost dreadfully familiar voice came from behind her.

"Lauren?"

She stopped her in tracks and let out a barely perceptible sigh. "Yes, Oberon?" she asked quietly, not turning around.

His voice almost sounded hesitant. "You were in a bad state, earlier. I came to see if you were better than before. Are you well, daughter?"

"I'm fine," she said. Then she hesitated a moment herself, before she continued to talk. "Oberon?"

"Yes?"

"You win," she said before she simply opened the door and left the palace.

Oberon stood staring at the place his daughter had been standing seconds before, frowning thoughtfully. She still refused to look at him, but it seemed she had finally come accept his ruling that she remain on the Island. But for some reason the King could not pinpoint, he did not feel the sense of victory he had expected.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Lauren sat in her clearing, alternating between crying quietly, and staring straight forward almost blankly. She briefly went through her situation again, before just shaking her head. What was the point? Oberon wouldn't listen to her, and she couldn't ask him to send her back again anyway. She was stuck here on Avalon. For the rest of her life.

That thought brought on yet another session of crying. After a few moments, however, this time she felt a hand drop onto her shoulder. Looking up, she saw the woman with the metal plate over her mouth, looking at her with some concern.

The girl blinked curiously, and was thankful for the distraction. "Oh... hello, there."

The woman seemed to be trying to ask her something, and the Princess of Avalon figured she knew what she was trying to ask.

"I'm okay, if that's what you're asking." She looked at the plate over the woman's mouth again and frowned slightly. "Let me guess: you said something that my dear old Daddy didn't like, and got that plate over your mouth for it?"

She hesitated and moved her hand in the universal "kind of, sort of" gesture.

She snorted humourlessly. "I'm surprised he didn't put a metal plate over _my _mouth yet." Then she looked back up at the woman and sighed. "Damn, I can't even ask your name."

"Her name is Banshee," came Raven's voice. Both women looked to where the voice came from and found him leaning up against a tree. "I think she can relate to you, actually. She didn't want to come to Avalon when Oberon summoned us all back, so the Weird Sisters were sent to get her. She was far from happy, to say the least and openly opposed Oberon. She used her siren voice in defiance of his ruling, and since her voice can drive even some of _us_ insane, Oberon placed the plate over her mouth for her disobedience."

Lauren looked at her sympathetically. While she remembered the story of Banshee told to her by the others, she couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Her situation wasn't too different from Lauren's, except for the fact that _she_ didn't have mortal family and friends in the human world.

She sighed. _Well, at least I'm not the ONLY one who's here against their will. But Banshee's immortal. She doesn't have anyone OUTSIDE Avalon like I do. So while our situation is similar, it's still not the same._

Raven then sat down beside her, while Banshee seated herself on the other side. "You gave us all one hell of a scare earlier. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," she said simply, her voice holding almost no emotion.

He frowned at her now. "That's a bullshit statement if I've ever heard one."

She snorted. "No, really, I'm fine. It's just that FINE stands for Fucked-up, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional."

He considered this. "Well, take out the fucked-up and I think you'd have it just about right..." Then he put one of his arms around her in a partial hug, trying not to look too uncomfortable attempting to comfort someone. The woman didn't show any indication that she cared at all about the close contact, and he wondered if she was starting to become more comfortable around him, or that she really and truly didn't give a shit any more. He was definitely hoping it was the former, but had a feeling he was wrong.

"How long did I sleep for?" she asked quietly.

"About a day. You exhausted your magic when you lost control."

Again, she snorted. "What's _your_ definition of a day? 12 hours or 24?"

He flinched when she asked this question, knowing exactly why she asked. "You were out for about fifteen hours."

She sighed. "Fifteen hours here... fifteen _days_ out there." She shook her head numbly. "I don't think I'll be able to think of anything else. Every hour that goes by is going to be another day away from them."

Raven sighed heavily then and pulled her closer, until he was giving her a full blown hug. Again, she didn't resist or make any complaints. She simply let him hold her.

"You know... I'm trying not to take _too_ much pleasure out of this, considering your circumstances," he said, allowing a small smirk to come to his face as he held her tiny form up against him. Banshee was watching the display with some concern reflected in her eyes.

Lauren said nothing and simply let Raven hold her for a while until footsteps were heard approaching the clearing. He hesitantly released her just as Coyote joined them.

He cleared his throat a little. "Um... Oberon sent me. The Banquet's soon."

The girl gave a small sigh and a nod, but said nothing as she got to her feet and started back to the palace on her own.

Coyote glanced at Raven. "How's she doing?"

His cousin shook his head. "Don't ask." Then he glanced back at the always silent Banshee. "Come on, we should get going ourselves."

Nodding, she got to her feet and the three of them followed Lauren.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Again, Lauren didn't so much as spare her father a glance, and her miserable expression hadn't changed as she sat beside him quietly, staring at her plate of food after it had appeared. Even though it was a simple dish of pasta, Lauren didn't know if she'd be able to hold it down. But, of course, she was going to try. She made sure to eat at a nice, slow pace so she could keep track of her stomach's condition. She had eaten about six bites of the food when the fight broke out.

She stayed right where she was. _If I'm stuck here anyways, I might as well get used to it,_ she thought bitterly.

As the sounds of the battle intensified and the cheering grew stronger, Lauren's hands found themselves fisted in her lap. She took a half second to glance up and immediately lowered her gaze again when she caught the glimpse of the two assailants trying to overpower one another with their magic. She couldn't help it as a few tears fell, and she quickly brushed them away, not noticing that her father _and_ mother-in-law were watching her carefully.

She was visibly relieved when the fight was over and she actually remained until the remainder of the meal. Oberon saw that she had eaten less than half of her meal, but chose to say nothing on the matter for today. He appreciated her effort to remain through the entire meal, even though the fighting had caused her to become visible upset. What concerned him was her complete refusal to even look at him.

And he felt further concern when he noticed the Weird Sisters frequently watching the girl and exchanging quiet words amongst themselves. When something caught their interest, rarely was it a good thing.

When it was clear the meal was over, Lauren breathed a massive sigh of relief and shot out the door without so much as a word or a glance at anyone.

Almost the instant she entered the tree line, her dinner reversed course. She felt someone rubbing her back as she supported herself against the tree, and looked up to see Coyote looking at her with a solemn expression on his face.

"Orchard?" he asked gently, and she simply nodded. She allowed him to take her by the arm and lead her away.

About a half hour later they were seated under a peach tree, Coyote already starting on his second, while Lauren had barely even started her first.

"You stayed through the whole banquet today," he started gently.

She nodded. "I figured I may as well get used to it."

He hesitated. "And? How was it?"

Her expression strained. "It was awful," she said, her voice cracking.

The trickster sighed and pulled her close to him. She cried just a little and forced herself to stop. Coyote continued to hold her, though, and again, she simply let him.

Lauren's mind was just numbly counting off the past few hours. _Two hours in the banquet, is two days gone. Pretty soon, it's going to be three days..._ She tried to stop this thought process, but it was impossible. Now that she _knew_, how could she _not_ think about it?

"Did I mention that you actually _transformed_ when you went berserk yesterday?"

She blinked and looked up, for the first time showing interest in something someone said since she'd heard the news. "I _transformed?"_

He nodded. "Yup. Normally when your magic reaches a certain level, you take on characteristics that are less than human. Your ears turn pointed, and you get strange blue markings extending out from your eyes. But you went beyond even that yesterday evening. The markings expanded as your power increased. By the end of it, you looked like a female Oberon... except prettier." He considered. "A _hell_ of a lot prettier..."

She made a slight face. "If that was supposed to make me feel better, somehow it didn't work... though the information is good to have."

He smirked slightly. "Well, it's the first thing that's caught your attention all day."

She couldn't think of anything to say to this, so she just sighed and laid her head against his shoulder once more. She couldn't say for certain how long they stayed like that, but she heard a little voice in the back of her mind apparently counting off every hour that went by.

_Tick. One hour gone, another day gone._

_Tick. One hour gone, another day gone._

_Tick. One hour gone, another day gone._

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and she got to her feet. "I have to do something to distract my mind. It's like I have an internal clock that's counting off every hour and it's driving me _insane!"_

She thought she heard Coyote call after her as she rushed out of the orchard, but she didn't pause in her trek. She was heading back to the palace where she was planning on trying to lose herself in Jeffrey Robbins' books. And plus, while she was in her room, she could at least pretend that she was really back at the castle in New York.

Except... her room here had no computer, T.V., stereo system...

_So I'll just look at the pages in the book and the castle walls! I've got to do SOMETHING!_

She entered through the side entrance and quickly made her way through the twisting halls until she came to her room. She dove inside and closed the door behind her with a sigh. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a random book and came up with _The Sword and the Staff._ Laying down on her bed, she tried to lose herself in the story.

_Tick. One hour gone, another day gone._

Letting out a frustrated cry, she flung the book across the room and buried her face in her hands.

She couldn't do this. She just _couldn't!_ Living on Avalon would drive her completely mad. Now that she knew of the time differences, how could she possibly think of anything _else?_ She couldn't stand the _thought_ of staying on Avalon forever! She would rather...

Her eyes widened slightly as she had a minor epiphany. Before she realized it, the gears were already turning, and her mind was working on hatching a plan that was so dangerously insane, she almost completely dismissed it. But then... she remembered promising everyone that she would come back... no matter what it took. And the thought of never seeing them again was far too painful for her to consider.

Desperate times...

She would have to do this _very_ carefully. The plan required impeccable timing, and taking a risk that went beyond anything she had ever done before. Glancing at the window, she saw the sun was starting to set, and decided she had best put her plan into action tomorrow. Fox's parting words returned to her.

_Raise HELL on Avalon if you have to!_

The Halfling decided she was going to do the next best thing... or die making the attempt.

Coyote briefly showed up in her room handing her two apples and adamantly refused to leave until he had watched her consume them both. While doing this had made her stomach slightly queasy, now that she had a plan of action, her appetite had increased _slightly,_ so she felt fairly confident that they would stay down. He then changed her into a nightgown and materialized more clothes for her to wear in the morning. A few times during his visit, he looked as if he wanted to say something, but then seemed to think better of it. Lauren didn't question him on what it was that was bothering him. She simply went on with the routine of lying down and having Coyote put her to sleep for what she hoped would be the _final_ time.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Again, Lauren left the palace first thing when she woke up, taking the side entrance outside and hoping not to be spotted.

"Hey, Lauren! Hold up!"

She tried not to sigh irritably. _Coyote, please don't do this today..._

She turned around to face him. Again, he paused, seeing her expression.

"Lauren?"

"Coyote, please. I just want to be alone for a while, okay?"

This time he frowned as he stepped forward. "No, it's _not_ okay. Listen, maybe _you_ think isolating yourself from everyone will somehow help things, but it won't."

She snorted indignantly. "It's rather hard for me to "isolate" myself when I'm on an island. There's not too many nooks and crannies for me to hole myself up in here. Is it really such a horrible thing for a girl to want some time to herself?"

He hesitated. "Lauren, you hardly said a word to _anyone_ yesterday. I just want to make sure that... that you're okay."

She closed her eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath. "I'm okay, I just... I still have things to think about." She opened her eyes. "Coyote, if you're really that worried about how much time I've been spending alone, then we can spend some time together after the banquet. Okay?"

He looked at her for a long moment before he gave her a small smirk. "Okay, but I'm going to hold you to that. I'll find you when it's time for the banquet, okay?"

She forced the corner of her lips to move upward in her signature smile. She was sure it must look as fake as it felt, but Coyote looked relieved to see it, anyway. "Okay. I'll see you then." She went off into the trees without another word, trying not to feel guilty about lying to Coyote.

As she sat down in her clearing, she kept an eye on both the sun's position and found herself scanning the treetops. Coyote hadn't been the _only_ one who'd dropped in on her unexpectedly, and she wanted to make sure her plan went off without any hitches.

Sure enough, in a tree off to her left, she saw a black bird perched on a branch watching her intently with glowing eyes. Around the left eye was a red patch of feathers and she knew for certain that it was no ordinary bird.

"Raven, can I help you with something, or are you spying on me for the sake of spying on me?"

The bird jerked slightly before it gliding down to the ground before her, flared a bright yellow, and the trickster was standing before her, rubbing the back of his head a little sheepishly.

"Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You were pretty upset yesterday."

"Well, I'm not going to lie and say I'm all better, but I'm doing better than I was, anyway. But really, as much as I appreciate your concern, I would really just prefer to spend some time to myself for now."

He hesitated slightly but acquiesced more amicably than Coyote had. "Fair enough. I'll go harass Grandmother for a while, then. I'll see you later." He transformed back into his bird form and flew off toward the palace, much to Lauren's relief.

She simply stayed in the clearing for a few hours, keeping a close watch on the sun. While she was certainly no expert on telling the time by the sun's position, she knew that the banquet always happened when the sun was directly overhead, and was trying to estimate when it was about an hour away so she could start putting her plan into action.

When she figured it was close enough, she got to her feet and headed to the palace, or more specifically, to the section of the palace that housed Princess Katherine and Tom.

Katherine was the one who answered the door this time, and her eyes widened when she saw who it was.

"Lauren! Oh, Tom, Lauren's here!" The elderly woman quickly ushered her inside as the Guardian entered the room from upstairs.

He came forward immediately. "Ach! Lass, ye gave us quite a scare the other day. Are ye all right?"

She nodded as she casually walked over by the counter holding the display of daggers and short swords. "I'm all right. It was just that the information was very... unexpected. Nobody had told me before then. I thought time passed the same here as it did anywhere, so..." She shook her head and turned to them, now keeping her back to the countertop. "Anyway, I just pretty much came by to apologize. I know I must have scared you when my powers went crazy."

Tom came up beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. As he did this, neither the Princess nor Tom noticed a short dagger being hidden down the front of her pants. "It's not yer fault, Lass. As long as ye be better now, that is all that matters."

She took in a deep breath and let it out. "Well, I just dropped in to tell you that. But I should get back to my usual spot soon. I think the banquet's going to be starting up pretty quick, and Coyote always fetches me from there, so I'll visit with you another time."

Katherine smiled kindly at her. "Ye go have a good meal, Lauren. Maybe we could introduce ye to the rest of the clan tonight!"

Lauren gave her a wane smile. "I guess we'll see. It depends on whether my body decides to stay awake or not past sunset. But anyway, I'll see you both later."

The two of them nodded and Lauren exited the building. She quickly made her way back to her clearing, the dagger still sheathed and hidden from sight. Once she was in her clearing, and making sure she was still alone, she took a quick glance at the sky and unsheathed the dagger to examine it.

_Good, it's not an uneven blade, so that should make this easier._ She estimated the blade was only about three inches long, but it was more than enough to accomplish the task.

Suddenly she stopped. _What the hell am I thinking? I must be crazy to be going through with this... In spite of everything that's happened so far, I DON'T want to die... I just want to go HOME._ But then again, she wasn't allowed to go home... and nothing she had done thus far had truly gotten her father's attention. This was a crazy situation and required an outrageous, downright insane solution. Oberon wouldn't listen to her... so she would _make_ him listen to her. If she didn't die for real...

Taking another glance at the sky, she saw that the sun was just about directly overhead, and she knew she had to do this quickly.

Then another thought came to her. _Which side of the body is the heart on anyway? Left or right?_ This question made her pause again as she frowned at the dagger she held in her hands. Plus, was she even strong enough to stab herself in the chest with it anyway?

She frowned as she looked around herself. _I guess I'll just run into the side of a tree with the point against my chest. Oh, fuck, I AM out of my mind! I can't believe I'm seriously going to do this._

She shoved these thoughts out of her mind. _Just do it and get it over with. The worst thing that could happen is I die, and I'd rather be dead than live like this anyway._

She held the blade up against her chest and felt her heart pounding insanely with her nervousness. Feeling the rhythm of her heartbeat, she moved the dagger further to the right and down a couple of inches, not _truly_ wanting to pierce her own heart. She cast one last glance up to the sky, took in a deep steadying breath, and steeled herself. She locked her arms in position, aimed for the tree, and, trying to hold the dagger as steadily as she could, she ran straight for it.

She slammed into the tree and a sickening sound sliced through the air as the dagger penetrated her skin and was buried almost to the hilt in her chest. The pain was even worse than she could have possibly imagined, and she looked down at the hilt of the dagger sticking out of her chest with a combination of morbid fascination and horror.

_Oh, God... What have I done?_ She thought, before her world tilted and went dark.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Coyote approached the clearing, his mind going through possible means of easing Lauren's grief. He wondered if she would be up for a swim in the pool at the base of the waterfall? Of course, he would have to magic her into a bathing suit as he highly doubted she would be for skinny dipping, but it would give them an opportunity to have some actual fun. After all, who _didn't_ like to frolic in water?

Seeing the clearing up ahead, he let out a whistle. "Hey, Lauren! It's time for the banquet!"

There was no response.

He frowned a little as he got closer. There was an oddly familiar smell in the air... an almost coppery smell that would not have been detectable to a mere mortal. He saw one of Lauren's feet sticking out from behind an Elder tree and he smirked.

"What, did you fall asleep relaxing in the shade?" he asked, coming forward. "Wakey, wakey, little princess, you're..." Then he rounded the corner and his eyes went enormous.

Laying completely motionless on the ground, with the golden hilt of a dagger sticking out of her chest, was Lauren. The Fey cursed loudly and was kneeling at her side in an instant, desperately hoping that she was still alive.

"Lauren? _Lauren!_" She didn't even twitch as he shouted in her ear, and he almost went into a state of panic himself until he heard the girl take in a strangled, shallow breath. He damn near collapsed in relief. There was still hope. "Oh, shit... What did you do?" he whispered, before quickly focusing his magic, and the two of them vanished in a whirlwind.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The last thing anyone in the palace was expecting was for Coyote to teleport himself to the back of the hall, Lauren laying on the ground before him. Almost the second they appeared, the native's voice rang across the hall, not bothering to hide that he was very much afraid.

_"I NEED A HEALER NOW!" _he shouted, his eyes wide and filled with concern. Grandmother was immediately on her feet and rushing toward him as Oberon and Titania quickly got to their feet as well.

"What has happened?" Oberon demanded, approaching. As he got closer and he saw his daughter for himself, his expression turned shocked.

Coyote's expression was straining, and he almost looked as if he was struggling not to cry. "She took a dagger and plunged it into her own chest. Lauren would rather _die_ than stay here on Avalon."

Raven was soon standing at Coyote's shoulder as the rest of Oberon's Children seemed to break out into mutters, some of them standing from their seats to see the sight for themselves.

Grandmother frowned deeply as she examined the Halfling. "She was fortunate that the dagger was not forged of iron, but the wound is still very severe. We have to get the blade removed and the wound healed or she will drown in her own blood."

Titania stood next to her husband, her own mind in a state of shock, but the expression on Oberon... For the first time in her life, she saw fear reflected in her husband's eyes.

Grandmother and a newly arrived Vivian (aka: The Lady of the Lake) quickly worked at removing the dagger and stabilizing her so she was safe to move. Once they had accomplished this task, they brought the Halfling to her bedroom with the help of Raven and a visibly upset Coyote.

**0o0o0oo0o0o0o0**

**::Screams and ducks as bricks, shoes and other miscellaneous items are thrown at her head::**

**Come on, you **_**know**_** this isn't permanent. How could I kill off my main character?**

**OH! I can't forget to put this in...**

**I must give due credit to kms5665 for giving me the idea to give Lauren a FULLY fey transformation. I was originally intending to simply leave her with just the markings, but then that idea became far too juicy for me NOT to play around with. So... kudos to you kms5665! And keep those reviews coming please!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Here's Chapter 17 of Lauren! I hope you all enjoy!**

**I do not own Gargoyles, only Lauren.**

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Lauren very gradually became aware that her senses were functioning, though her mind was not awake enough yet to understand what it meant.

She heard soft padded footsteps to the right of her, and the light rustle of fabric, something being wrung out, and then felt a cool, moist cloth being placed on her chest. A moment later, she felt an equally cool hand gently touch her forehead. She heard the soft footsteps move away from her side, and then approach once more. One hand gently lifted her head and she felt the wooden rim of a bowl placed against her lips. When some of the liquid entered her mouth however, she jerked fully awake at the awful taste, only to let out a hiss of pain as her entire body seemed to protest the movement. Instantly, she felt the hand leave the back of her head, and it was against her forehead once again. A few seconds passed and the pain eased slightly, and Lauren opened her eyes blearily.

She had to blink a few times, as he vision was rather blurry, but her bedroom came into focus, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar old woman at her side. The Halfling was momentarily confused until her last memories of the clearing returned to her.

_Okay,_ she thought bitterly. _Maybe that wasn't one of my best thought out plans... but at least I'm still alive, so we'll see what happens next._

Grandmother was the first to break the silence as she gave the girl a gentle smile. "You are awake, child. Your wound has healed, and you shall be all right after you've had a full day of bed rest. You are very lucky to be alive."

"That's a matter of opinion," she said, her voice somehow sounding strange to her own ears. She saw the old woman's expression turn concerned, but she said nothing in response to the Halfling's words. Instead she held up the bowl she had been holding to Lauren's lips a moment ago.

"You must drink this. You developed an infection from your wound and, while it is almost gone now, it still needs to be treated to ensure it does not resurface."

The girl made a face hearing this. That stuff tasted like something that came straight out of a landfill. Didn't these people ever hear of antibiotics?

_Well, this is what I get for pulling the stunt in the first place. I'll consider this my punishment... unless Oberon decides to punish me himself. Is there a parent alive who would punish their daughter for attempting to kill themselves?_ Lauren didn't know, but she guessed she was going to find out soon enough.

So, trying not to gag, the Halfling choked back the mixture Grandmother gave her, and was relieved when the old elf quickly handed her a goblet of juice to chase the taste away with. Then she had her head against the pillow once more with a sigh. A little curious, she lifted the cloth on her chest and was absolutely gobsmacked to see not so much as a scar remaining.

_That_ was a huge relief. She _really_ didn't want to have to explain to anyone back in New York how she had gotten such a deep wound.

Then the door to her room opened and she saw Coyote poke his head in. His expression turned both relieved and elated when he saw she was conscious.

"Lauren! You're awake!" He was at her side a heartbeat later, his hands cupping her face, as he placed his forehead against hers. She had the impression that he was resisting the urge to kiss her. Just as suddenly, he pulled back, his expression suddenly angry. "Are you out of your _fucking _mind? Just what the hell were you trying to _do_?"

She snorted now. "I would think that would be obvious," she said coldly.

She immediately felt guilty when she saw his hurt expression, but she had to stand firm. _I'm sorry, Coyote... but I have to do this._

He shook his head, his expression now very concerned. "Oh, Lauren no... Not like this..."

He cupped her face once more, this time leaning forward and kissing her on the forehead. Then he sat in the chair at her side and held her hand firmly in his own.

They stayed like that for several long moments, the only sound in the room being Grandmother as she continued to bustle about, mixing herbs and roots, and occasionally laying her hand against Lauren's forehead to seemingly check something or other.

Then the door opened once again, and Oberon entered the room, his eyes immediately falling on his daughter.

The girl let out a long sigh as she closed her eyes and turned her head away from him. _And here come the fireworks..._

"How is she?" he asked Grandmother.

"The infection is almost gone, my Lord. She will need to remain in bed for a full day to ensure she is fully healed, but she will be all right."

He nodded hearing this, his expression showing just a tinge of relief. Then:

"Coyote. Grandmother. I wish to speak with my daughter alone."

The trickster almost seemed to hesitate a moment, but nodded, giving the girl's hand one last reassuring squeeze before he followed Grandmother out the door.

Lauren still had her face turned away from Oberon as he sat down in the newly vacated chair, although her eyes were now open.

Her father was the first to break the long silence.

"Have you nothing to say for yourself?" he asked, his voice soft.

"I do, but it's not like you'll listen to me anyway, so what's the point?" she replied, her voice just as soft, but rather bitter. "Besides, you made it pretty clear in the banquet the other day that you didn't want to hear it."

"Is Avalon truly so horrible, daughter?"

This time she sighed irritably and, for the first time in several days now, she turned her head and looked at Oberon, frowning. "_Avalon_ isn't the problem... Or at least I didn't have a problem with Avalon itself until I learned of that _fucking_ time difference. My problem, Oberon, is with _you._ I don't _understand_ you at all! You find out I exist after seventeen years, learn that I'm David Xanatos' niece, and you figure that's _all_ you need to know about me before you come rushing off to tear me away from my oh-so-evil uncle! The moment I get here, you immediately start trying to mould me into your little princess, apparently ignoring the fact that I have no interest in it whatsoever, and you either ignore half of what I tell you, or cut me off before I can even _tell_ you what it is that truly bothers me!" Another surge of pain wracked her body and she winced, cutting her off from her tirade.

Oberon's hand gripped her own, and the pain subsided. "I will sit in silence until you have said your piece, Lauren."

She sighed again. "Puck told me... that you instigated a law forbidding your 'Children' from directly interfering in human affairs. Isn't _impregnating_ a mortal woman with a Halfling child in the first place 'interfering'?"

He hesitated now. "I was unaware that she had come to bear a child..."

"Oberon, _everyone_ has been telling me that you're damn near all powerful! You could have done _something!_ You could have at least peeked in on her a few weeks later, or _prevented_ the pregnancy from happening in the first place!"

He frowned. "That would have prevented you from coming into existence, daughter."

She frowned right back. "I would rather have never existed... than to have Mom go through what she did. To have _us_ go through what _we_ did! But don't take my word for it. You must have the means at your disposal to find out what happened to us. I don't think _telling_ you is going to be enough anymore. In order for you to understand exactly _why_ I'm so... _angry_ at you, I think you'd have to look for yourself. Actions speak louder than words, Oberon, and quite frankly I'm sick of talking about my life before the Xanatos'. Everyone in New York knows half of my life story already since there was a huge media blitz when word of me got out, and even thinking about it all makes me feel sick! Go look into a crystal ball or whatever the hell you people use to do those things. Go find out what happened to Mom after you left her!" Ignoring the pain, she rolled over onto her side, facing away from him once more. "As for me, I'm sick to death of dealing with this shit. My life is in your hands Oberon, so do whatever you want. It's not like I can stop you anyway."

She laid there for a few long moments in complete silence, her eyes squeezed shut tightly. _Oberon, please... don't just SIT there. Do something... ANYTHING to prove that some part of you really, actually DOES care about me..._

She felt his hand land on her shoulder, and he gently rolled her over so she was looking at him once again. Then that hand landed on her cheek instead and he brushed his thumb against her face gently.

"You require a full day of bed rest before you are recovered, Lauren. In that time, I will do as you have asked, and look into this matter. When I have completed the investigation, I will come to a _final_ decision regarding where you will call home."

For the first time, Lauren felt the tiniest flicker of hope. She simply nodded. It was the biggest breakthrough she had made with Oberon thus far, and now all she could do was wait and see what happened.

He nodded as he got to his feet. "I shall leave now, then. However... until the time that someone is in the room with you..." He ran the index finger of his right hand down the side of her face. "Sleep, my daughter."

The power of Oberon's magic kicked in immediately and the girl was out like a light.

The Lord of Avalon looked down on her tiny form for a long moment before he turned and left the room, his features set.

As he passed the two waiting outside the door, he spoke. "Coyote. Grandmother. Come."

The trickster fell in step beside his Lord immediately. "Where are we going, my Lord?"

Oberon's frown was determined. "To do what I should have done from the very moment I learned of Lauren's existence. I must learn what happened to Elaine after I left her."

Coyote cringed inwardly. While he had a morbid curiosity himself, after hearing just the little that he did know, he wasn't sure if he wanted to see it or not. But it looked like he was about to.

Their Lord strolled into the banquet hall and immediately approached his mirror. Unfortunately, its twin had been smashed by Demona a few years earlier, a tragic end to a wonderful magic artefact.

His wife and many of his Court gathered around, curious in spite of themselves as Oberon held a hand toward the mirror.

"Mirror: Show me the significant events in the lives of Elaine Xanatos and her daughter from when last I knew her!"

The surface of the mirror rippled like water, and then, the first image formed...

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Elaine Xanatos sat across from her doctor, trying to ignore the queasy sensation in her stomach. She was sincerely hoping that she was merely coming down with the flu, but she had an uneasy feeling she was wrong.

The man across from her gave her a wide smile. "Congratulations, Miss Xanatos. You're pregnant." When he saw the woman's face strain somewhat, his own happy smile faded a little. "I... take it from your expression that this was not something you planned?"

She shook her head. "No, I mean... I was going to start University in the fall. I'm planning on getting my degree to become a paediatrician, and..." She shook her head again. "I'm sorry, it's just... I wasn't expecting something like this to happen."

He smirked a little now. "Well, you _do_ know what causes it, right? I'm sure between you and your boyfriend you can figure everything out."

She cringed openly now. "Um... I don't... have a boyfriend. I was only with one person, so I know who the father is, but..." She sighed and looked decidedly ashamed of herself. "It was a one night stand. Lucas didn't give me any way of contacting him, so I can't even let him know that he's going to be a father..."

The doctor across from her seemed to hesitate as he started riffling through papers. "Well, if you feel the situation is going to be too much for you to handle, there _are_ other options available to you. You could choose to put the child up for adoption once it's born or, and while I hesitate to suggest something such as this, terminating the pregnancy, while somewhat painful, is..."

Elaine shook her head immediately. "Oh no... I could never do that. It was my own mistake and I'll take responsibility for it. I'll just have to put University and my degree on the back burner for now. Once the baby is old enough to go to school, I'll finish my education and start my career."

He smiled at her once again. "Very commendable decision, Miss Xanatos. I want to make a follow up appointment for next month so we can monitor you and the baby's condition. Just talk to Whitney out at the front desk and she'll set up the appointment."

She nodded, giving him a thanking smile. "All right, Doctor. Thank you very much." She left the room without another word.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Elaine was looking at several bills and cringed openly taking in her tiny one bedroom apartment. She let out a sigh as she shook her head.

"Oh God, how am I going to do this?" She looked over at the phone and picked it up off the stand. She dialled a couple numbers before she paused, frowned, and then slammed it back down on the receiver. "_No!_ I can't keep running to Daddy and David for help. I can't keep being the baby of the family, anymore. I can do this without them." She pinched the bridge of her nose and seemed to think hard for a few minutes. Then she picked up the phone again and dialled. A moment later, someone answered and she started to talk.

"Hey, Chelsea? Remember you were trying to get me to go to one of those speed dating things? Well, I changed my mind. Can you tell me the address and when the next one is going to take place?" She quickly jotted down the information. "Okay, thanks. That's all I was calling for. I'll talk to you later." Hanging up, she made a bit of a face. "I never thought I'd ever go to one of these things, but desperate times call for desperate measures. It's time for Elaine Xanatos to hit the dating circuit!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Next she was sitting across from a young man in a crowded room filled with couples. Through the mirror, they heard her thought process as she regarded him.

_He's the best here so far... He's fairly well educated, has a good paying job, and while he said his house isn't in the best shape, it's a HOUSE and not a one bedroom apartment. He didn't even bat an eye when I said the word 'pregnant' unlike every other man here who seemed to run for the hills, and he seems to be very nice. He said he likes to have a beer or two in the evenings, but there's nothing wrong with unwinding after a hard day of work..._

Satisfied with this one, for the first time since arriving at the Speed Dating party, she circled the name Craig Johnson on her provided card. As it would turn out, his was the only name that she would circle.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After only a few months of dating, and after moving into his home, Elaine and Craig had a shotgun wedding only weeks before her due date. The mirror breezed over these months, and of the birth of Lauren herself. Then it focused on her baby shower, Elaine delighted at all the generous gifts coming from her friends and family that would go toward her baby.

While she didn't make _too_ big of a deal of it, she was also greatly relieved at her brother's gift... a supply of baby clothes that were for the ages of newborn up till a year of age, so they wouldn't have to worry about spending money on clothing for Lauren. The newborn was cooed over and passed around, until Elaine had her back in her arms.

That's when she approached a young David Xanatos. "David... Craig and I were talking and... the only relative he has left is his mother, and the doctors say she's showing the beginning stages of Alzheimer's, and I don't think it would be right to ask Dad something like this... but... If something happens to me and Craig, we'd like _you_ to take care of Lauren. We know that you'd be able to give her the kind of life we could only dream of so... Would you be her Godfather?"

He smiled at her. "Elaine, I would be honoured." He gently took his niece from his sister and held her in his arms as he started speaking again. "Have you found her real father?"

She sighed and shook her head. "I don't think he's coming back. It's a shame, though... He really was a very charming and charismatic man. I'm sure if he'd known I was pregnant he wouldn't have just left like that, but..." Then she smiled. "Well, Craig was only too happy to take on the responsibility of a father, so things turned out all right in the end."

The future billionaire looked around the modest conditions of the yard and the condition of the house, which showed some missing panels on the side. "I just hope that you don't plan on staying _here_ for the rest of your life..."

She laughed and shook her head. "Craig figures that we should be able to put enough money aside to put a down payment on a good house in the next year or two. This will do until then. It's really not as bad as it looks, I can assure you." Then she blinked. "Oh! I almost forgot!" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small box. "This is to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come. I know Mr. Renard has a reputation for cracking the whip."

He smirked as he accepted the gift. "Believe me, there was no problem. When I told him it was because my sister had just had a baby, he was only too happy to give me the day off. I'll give him credit, when it comes to family issues, he has a heart of gold." He opened the package and pulled out the locket that he would give Lauren seventeen years later. "Hm... I don't know if it would go with the dress code at work, but I'll keep it close." He pulled his sister in for a hug. "It looks like my baby sister is all grown up now."

She smirked. "I'm not so grown up that I can't push you in the lake again, should we ever visit Dad at the same time... You know I hate being called a baby, David."

He sighed and shook his head. "You're never going to let me forget that, are you? And I still maintain that it _was_ a cheap-shot."

She laughed. "You just can't admit that I one upped you." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "By the way, thank you for the gift."

He hesitated. "If you like, I could write up a cheque for you guys to make the next while a little easier..."

She waved it off. "Thank you, but the clothes are already a tremendous help. Believe me, we can manage."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The next scene the mirror displayed appeared to be only a few months later, judging by the fact that the woman was still holding a bundle in her arms. However, this time the child was screaming bloody murder, and the woman seemed to be desperately trying to figure out what it was that was bothering her. Seated on a faded old green sofa, with a can of beer in one hand and the T.V. remote in the other, was Craig.

Elaine was rocking the baby, and checking her temperature with the back of her hand against her forehead. The child let out another wailing cry, and the man on the couch had had enough.

"Damn it, can't you shut that little shit _up?_" he cried, his expression holding a scowl.

Elaine's expression turned shocked. "Craig! She's only _three months old!_ It's not as if she can _tell_ us what's wrong with her! We have to figure it out!" She continued rocking the girl. "I've changed her, fed her, burped her, she won't go to sleep... Maybe it's just colic?" She bustled around for a few minutes, re-checking the baby's diaper and taking out a thermometer to check her temperature. The child continued screaming through all of this, until the man on the couch slammed his beer down and got to his feet, his expression less than happy.

"Fine, if you can't shut her up, then _I_ will!"

The woman's eyes went wide as she quickly held the baby so she was between Lauren and her husband. She held out one hand to hold him back. "Craig, what is _wrong_ with you? If it's colic, then there's nothing we can do! Now you _knew_ this wasn't going to be easy when you agreed to marry me!" Then she sniffed a few times and her nose wrinkled. "How much beer did you drink tonight? I can smell your breath from here!"

He scowled. "I worked a twelve hour shift unloading and re-loading trailers with one crack-head, and two fresh-faced yuppies fresh out of high school who don't know their ass from a hole in the ground! Meanwhile, you were here at home with only house chores and a baby to take care of, so don't you fucking criticize _me!_"

She scowled back now. "You're drunk."

Lauren let out another ear-piercing wail and the man cringed before trying to come forward again. "Just give 'er to me!"

Elaine quickly took a step back, shaking her head. "Ooooh no! You are _not_ holding _my_ baby tonight! Not while you're intoxicated, not on that temper, and not with _that_ attitude!"

"So help me God, Elaine..."

"Damn it, I said _no!_"

Suddenly the back of his hand connected with her jaw and she stumbled into the wall, quickly shifting her hold on the infant to keep her from becoming harmed. She stared at her husband in complete shock for a long moment. The man looked to be just as shocked as she was, and stayed where he was when the woman bolted up the stairs, holding a still screaming Lauren in her arms.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The vision wavered, and Coyote glanced up at Oberon, seeing his Lord's mouth was nothing but a thin line, and his eyes were glacial in their intensity. Violence against women didn't tend to go over well with _any_ of them, but with it being the mother of Oberon's daughter... and the fact that she had been _holding_ Lauren in her arms when she'd been hit...

Somehow it didn't surprise the trickster that his Lord's concentration had momentarily lapsed. However, the image soon cleared once more and they continued to watch.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

They saw a now visibly upset Elaine packing a suitcase and putting together a diaper bag, occasionally wiping away tears while she did so. They could see Lauren laying nestled between two pillows on the Queen sized bed, still screaming. Craig entered the room and watched his wife bustle around curiously for a moment.

"What are you doing?"

She glared at him as she angrily wiped away some of her tears. "I'm taking Lauren and we're going to David's for the night! I'm not going to deal with you when you're like _this!"_

"Elaine, listen..."

"No! _You_ listen! You _hit_ me! That is bad enough, but you did it while I was holding _Lauren!_ A_ baby!_ You can't _do_ things like that!"

He cringed. "Okay, look, watch me!" He ran into their personal bathroom and dumped the rest of his can down the drain. "See? That was the last beer I had! I won't drink anymore tonight, okay?" He came up to her, and held her fast by the shoulders when she tried to back away from him. "Listen to me, honey. I'm sorry. I'm _so_ sorry. You're right. I overdid it tonight on the drinking, and I know there's no excuse for that. I let myself get too upset downstairs and I can't apologize enough for hitting you." His hands came up and he gently brushed his fingers across the forming bruise on her jaw and then wiped away her tears. "I promise you Elaine... I _promise you_... that this will _never_ happen again. Okay?"

She hesitated for a moment, before a smile started to form on her face and she nodded. She leaned forward and they shared a small kiss before he sighed. "Okay, now let's see if we can't figure out what's wrong with Lauren." He went over to the bed and picked the baby up.

Elaine quickly rushed forward. "Craig, you..."

"Don't worry, Elaine. I'm still steady and I'm sitting on the edge of the bed, just in case, see?" He held the baby on his knee and gently bounced her up and down while she was facing him. Her screams were still coming at a steady pace. "Okay, sweetie," he said, turning his attention back to the infant. "Let's see if we can't get you outta your little..."

Out of the blue, the little angelic baby let out a massive belch and promptly projectile vomited right on the front of Craig's shirt.

The former Xanatos immediately shrieked with laughter and had to support herself with the wall to keep from falling over with her mirth.

"Okay..." Craig said with a long sigh. "I guess I had that one coming. But at least she stopped screaming." He set the baby back down on the bed between the pillows before smiling at his wife. "Hey, why don't I get changed and then we can go to that diner around the corner before it closes? I owe you a big apology, after all..."

Apparently forgiving the man for his earlier transgression, the woman smiled back and nodded.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

It was difficult to judge at first just when the next scene was depicted, as Lauren was not immediately in the scene for an age comparison. What they _did_ see, however, was Elaine Xanatos, desperately trying to shield her head as she was down on her knees in the corner of the living room, with Craig towering over her, cursing a blue streak and kicking her. The image wavered briefly with Oberon's initial reaction of shock, but quickly stabilized once again.

Craig's speech was slurred, making his rantings difficult to decipher, but it seemed he was upset over the conditions of the home upon his return from work, and angry over a rather flavourless meal.

Then the image panned to the left, showing the opposite side of the room, which consisted of a recliner chair and a bookshelf made of imitation wood. From the space between the shelf and the arm of the chair, they saw a set of tiny hands slowly appear and then the head and shoulders of a terrified platinum blond little girl. Her eyes were enormous as she watched the beating take place and she seemed to cringe with every blow and every screamed insult the man delivered toward her mother. She looked as if she couldn't be any older than four or five years old.

Finally, the child seemed to have enough. Her features turned determined and she came out of hiding and ran to where the violence was taking place.

"Craig, stop! Stop hurting her! Leave her alone!" the little girl shouted, but her pleas fell on deaf ears as the man simply ignored her.

Not giving up, the child reached up and grabbed him by the elbow, trying to pull him back away from Elaine. "Nooooo! Stop! Stop hurting Mama!"

The man jerked his elbow roughly, shoving the girl to the floor.

Tears started spilling from the child's eyes now, and she momentarily looked to be at a loss as to what she could do. Then her features set once more as she got to her feet. Then, the child charged at her step-father, slamming all of her tiny form into his midsection to force him away from the cornered woman.

"You little _bitch!"_ The man's attention turned from his wife, to the child, and his first reaction was to give her a swift, hard hit across the face, sending her flying across the room.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Titania's hands flew to her mouth in horror, Coyote and Raven's eyes went wide, but...

The mirror blackened, the ground beneath their feet seemed to shake, storm clouds brewed overhead and a massive thunderclap nearly deafened all who were present.

_**"Coyote!"**_Oberon's voice boomed, evincing a rage unseen by any before on Avalon.

The trickster nearly jumped out of his skin and quickly made sure he had Titania between him and his Lord, unaccustomed to having his name spoken with such rage.

"Y-yes, my Lord?" he stammered, his eyes a little wide.

Oberon's face was a hard mask as he glared at the mirror, his lips pulled down into a deep frown. "Does my memory serve me correctly that this particular human is now deceased?" he asked, his voice now suddenly deceptively calm.

"Yes, my Lord. If I recall correctly, Lauren killed him herself."

"How very fortunate for _him_," he said now, his voice laced with a dry sarcasm.

Coyote couldn't help but shiver as he thought that Craig Johnson was, indeed, _very_ lucky to have died at the hands of his step-daughter, rather than facing the wrath of her _real_ father.

The image formed in the mirror once more and they continued to watch.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Once Craig had given the child a few kicks of her own, he grumbled to himself as he made his way to the door, and from his mutterings, the only words they could make out was "stupid ungrateful bitches," before the door slammed shut and he was gone.

Lauren laid there for several long moments, her face twisted in pain as she took in deep breaths. Then, wincing with each movement, she slowly rolled onto her stomach and worked her way to her hands and knees, crawling across the room to her mother.

Elaine was still in the corner and had her face buried in her hands as she sobbed. Her child sat up straight and put a little hand on her shoulder. "Mama?"

The woman looked as if she had only become aware of her daughter's presence now. She looked at the little girl for a long moment before simply grabbing her and pulling her in for a tight hug. Elaine buried her face into the crook of her daughter's neck as she cried some more. The little girl's expression turned a little pained at the contact, but she said nothing as she simply fisted her hands in the front of her mother's shirt.

"I was stupid... _Stupid!_ I could have been well on my way to starting my career, but no... I had to have a one night stand, and now look at me. Graduated top of my class, dozens of offers from Universities and Colleges around the country and my life has been reduced to _this."_

The child's expression turned deeply regretful, and her lower lip quivered slightly. Her arms went around her mother instead of fisting the front of her clothes. "I'm sorry, Mama. Don't worry, I'll protect you. I promise."

The woman said nothing to this, but continued to cling to her daughter like a lifeline.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"She felt unloved," Titania whispered, "and even possibly felt she was to blame for the life they were being forced to live..."

Coyote glanced at his Lord and saw his features were almost stony as they regarded the mirror steadily. He continued watching along with the rest of them.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The next scene simply showed Lauren at about ten years of age, walk through the front door with a backpack slung over one shoulder. In the background, they could clearly hear the sound of someone being beaten and verbally berated. The second she walked through the door, her backpack hit the floor and she charged across the room to where Craig was once again abusing her mother.

"Craig, no! Stop it!"

She immediately tried grabbing him to yank him away, but she simply got shoved into the wall for making the attempt. She immediately made a second attempt, trying to place herself between her step father and her mother, intending to take the blows for her. Craig's response to this was to give her a few good hard hits, and when she refused to budge from where she was, he grabbed her by the arm and simply threw her across the room. The girl slammed into the arm of the couch, and, unable to regain her balance with her awkward landing, rolled off the edge of the couch and she wound up knocking over the coffee table with a rather painful sounding crash.

The girl climbed to her feet, apparently oblivious to a gash on her forehead or of any of the injuries sustained in the attack. Her expression turned helpless, as she suddenly screwed her eyes shut tightly, and simply screamed.

_"__**Stoooop!"**_ Then her eyes instantly opened in shock when there was a loud popping sound, and the television simply exploded.

The obviously intoxicated man immediately whirled, his eyes enormous. His ranting and raving was now focused on his destroyed television now, rather than on his wife. While Lauren's expression was itself shocked, she seemed too relieved to think on the strange timing of the event as she rushed to her mother's side.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Again, the scene switched, but Lauren appeared to be the same age, so not much time could have passed since the last vision. The girl entered the kitchen, her face sporting obvious bruises and cuts, and her short sleeved shirt showing handprints and bruises dotting her arms. Elaine was sitting at the table, nursing a cup of coffee.

Lauren approached the sink, intent on getting a glass of water, when the light in the kitchen went out. The girl sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Mom, please tell me the power company did that due to maintenance or something..."

The woman shook her head. "We owe them too much money. They called this morning and told me it was going to be cut off until we start making payments."

She looked at her mother incredulously. "Don't tell me Craig's broke _again..._" She shook her head. "Isn't our water run through power? How are we supposed to cook and _bathe?_"

Elaine simply shrugged helplessly, her expression showing that she didn't know and had stopped caring about such issues a long time ago. "Talk to him about it. You know what'll happen if I make the attempt."

They now heard Lauren's thoughts. _Damn it, now Craig's going to come home, find the power cut off, realize he can't watch his stupid wrestling, and somehow he'll find a way to blame _us_ for it!_

Her expression turned downright pissed off for a few seconds, when Elaine's coffee cup suddenly flew off the table and smashed against the wall behind the table. The woman immediately let out a screech and shot up from the table.

"What the _fuck_ is going on in this house lately? Between books flying, TV's exploding, and now _this..._ Do we have some kind of ghost... what are they called? Poltergeist?" She gave a half sob and buried her face in her hands, trembling as her daughter rushed to her side.

"It's okay, Mom..." she said, though her expression was baffled. "Maybe... a truck driving by did it?"

"You'd think it would've happened before many times over the past ten years, then!" she cried, still in a state of shock over the event.

Lauren held her obviously stressed and hyper emotional mother close for a moment before pulling back. "Mama, listen. You look tired. Go lie down for a while, and I'll take care of the mess, okay? And tonight after Craig passes out, I'll see if he has any money in his wallet so we can keep the power for a while longer."

The woman hesitated, but then nodded, looking completely exhausted. She left the kitchen without so much as a thanking word toward her daughter.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The scene changed again, this time with Lauren in what appeared to be her bedroom. She was currently laying down on the bed, a book open before her. The girl seemed to be having a hard time concentrating though, and her eyes kept wandering to a rather raggedy-looking teddy bear sitting on an old rocking chair with the white paint chipping off. It was obvious from the injuries on her, that this was a time later in the day from the previous scene.

Finally, the girl let out an irritated sigh as she sat up from the bed with a scowl. "Just try it, call yourself stupid and move on with your life," she grumbled to herself as she snatched the teddy bear off its chair and sat down on the bed, placing it on the comforter in front of her.

She frowned at it for a long moment, her face indicating that she was concentrating on the object before her. Then, obviously feeling a little weird, she lifted one of her hands and held it toward the bear. A few long seconds passed before the bear suddenly seemed to jerk on its own, its raggedy arms and legs lifting up as if they were attached to a marionette's strings.

Lauren's eyes went huge instantly and she lost her purchase and fell off the edge of her bed, eliciting a loud thud. "_HOLY CRAP!"_

"Hey! What're ya doin' up there?" came Craig's drunken and obviously annoyed voice.

She blinked and quickly responded. "I tripped! Sorry, Craig!"

"Yeah, well keep it down, ya brat!" Craig's voice fell silent after this reprimand and the child breathed a sigh of relief.

Then her expression turned fearful, and, again, they heard her thoughts coming through the mirror.

_Oh no... I can't tell Mom and Craig about this! Mom's freaking out already, and Craig already hates me! This would be all the excuse he needs to kick me out of the house and then there'd be no one here to protect Mom! They'd both think I'm some kinda freak for sure! Hell, even I don't know how I feel about this! How can I do this?_

Suddenly a few of her books came off her shelf and hit the floor and she shivered instantly.

_I better figure out how to control this... Does this mean that I made the TV blow up? I can't have things like that happen again or Craig'll just get angry more! I can't tell ANYONE about this! I mean..."_

She frowned slightly as she climbed back onto the bed and focused on the teddy bear once more. She held her hand out toward the bear and, again, after a few seconds, it's arms and legs started moving on their own. _I wonder how far this goes, anyway?_ Her frown deepened as she concentrated harder. The bear shakily lifted off the bed a few inches and then plopped back down once more.

When this happened, the little girl's lips pulled back into a familiar teeny smile. _This is kinda freaky but... at the same time... way cool..._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Oberon watched the scene, dawning realization showing on his features. He remembered her attempted conversation with him in the banquet, when she had been referencing her abilities.

_"It was the only thing that kept me from going insane when..."_

For the first time he could remember, the Lord of Avalon was mentally cursing his own stubborn streak, and refusal to allow her to finish speaking.

He frowned and forced these thoughts out of his mind when the mirror surface shimmered once more, and the next scene formed.

**0o0o0o0oo0o0o0**

They saw Lauren as she looked today, opening a gate leading into a yard containing a house that looked as if it was in a terrible state of disrepair. The girl entered the house, and immediately the sound of Craig's voice could be heard in the kitchen, and he didn't sound happy at all. His voice was heavily slurred, telling all that he was, once again, drunk. Glancing into the kitchen, Lauren could see her mother sitting at the kitchen table with her head hanging as she simply took the verbal abuse.

Oberon was actually shocked when he saw Elaine. She had aged terribly in only 17 years, her eyes had lost their lustre and to see her simply accepting this sort of behaviour... The fey king could only shake his head. She clearly was a woman who had stopped caring a long time ago... something that saddened him when he remembered the mischief hiding in the back of her eyes, that wide, glorious smile, her refined mannerisms, and that beautifully subtle sense of humour.

Quickly shaking off these thoughts, he turned his attention back to the scene.

Lauren sighed, seeing the display and frowned a little. _Well... as long as he's not beating her. I've gotta get cracking and see if I can't get any of this homework done..._ Slipping off her shoes, she went up the stairs and entered her room. She almost closed the door, but then frowned. _I'd better leave it open so I can keep an ear on what's going on downstairs._

She sat down on her bed and started pulling out binders and textbooks from her backpack. She examined them for a moment before simply closing her eyes and randomly pointing at one. She opened her eyes again and sighed.

"Math. It figures. Well, first or last, I guess it's gotta be done." She plopped down on the bed and opened the book and binder as she started her homework.

The yelling and cursing was still clearly audible from downstairs, but the girl seemed to be merely blocking it out mentally, obviously used to these things. Lauren's expression turned confused as she read something in the textbook. "Take the remainder... exponents..." she half read to herself, and then blinked. "What the hell?" She flipped back many pages and scowled. "Damn it, no wonder I don't understand this shit! I missed three quarters of the unit!" She sighed and shook her head. "I'm never gonna graduate..."

"...havin' an affair? You turnin' into a whore on me?" came Craig's voice from down the stairs.

Lauren's eyes widened hearing this and she scowled. "Fucking hypocrite. _Who's_ the cheater, Craig?" she asked sarcastically as she rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her homework.

However, her head raised again when her _mother's _voice reached her ears.

"I've _always_ been faithful to you," Elaine said, her voice cracking slightly. "How can you call me a whore?"

He snorted. "Why don't you ask the sperm-doner daddy of that little shit-stain, money-sucking leech upstairs?"

Immediately following this, they heard the sound of a chair slide across the floor, and the clear sound of a harsh slap.

Lauren's eyes went huge, hearing this, and one thought went through her mind.

_Oh God, he's going to kill her!_

In the next instant, Lauren was off her bed and only just got to her doorway when Elaine let out a bone-chilling scream in the same instant as they heard an enraged Craig cursing, screaming and the obvious sounds of violence.

The teenager shot down the stairs, her expression fearful, and rounded the corner, shooting through the living room, and then...

Lauren reached the doorway, seeing Craig had her mother by the shoulders and gave her a hard, deliberate push. When the back of the woman's neck connected with the edge of the counter, a surprisingly anticlimactic 'snap' was heard, and Elaine simply slid to the floor, her eyes open wide. She let in a couple strangled breaths before she simply laid still.

The teenager stared wide eyed, her mouth agape with horror and disbelief. A small strangled cry escaped from her lips, and alerted Craig to her presence.

His own expression was a little shocked, but his eyes were wild when he saw the shocked teenager standing in the doorway. "You..." He took a step toward her.

That was all the signal Lauren needed to bolt for the front door. Craig was right behind her, however, and managed to grab a hold of her arm. He whirled and sent her flying across the room once more, and this time she slammed into a bookshelf made of imitation wood and caused it to simply collapse. He went to the other shelf, which was close to the door, and quickly shoved it over so it was blocking the exit. It was obvious he had no intentions of letting Lauren escape.

The teenager quickly got to her feet, apparently oblivious to a large gash on her forehead, or any other injuries she may have sustained. Her expression was clearly terrified and desperate as she tried bolting again, her step-father immediately following. Passing by the television, the girl quickly shoved it over, hoping to buy herself a few precious seconds to find an exit, but Craig dove over the television and barely missed the girl as she dodged his attempted tackle. This only served to make him angrier, and he was immediately back on his feet.

For several long, agonizing moments, they watched a frantic Lauren desperately trying to escape. Craig got in several hits, and threw her across the room on numerous occasions. It was after he had thrown her against the wall and she fell to the floor, momentarily stunned, that he quickly took advantage of the situation, yanking her back to her feet with a fistful of her hair. His hands then went around her neck and he lifted her into the air while simultaneously pinning her to the wall.

Lauren's little hands tried desperately to pry his fingers from around her throat, but he had a vice like grip and stubbornly held on. Her hands then went against his chest, trying to push him away from her, but he didn't seem to be affected.

_I... can't breathe... He's going to kill me... Just like he killed Mom..._

Her mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water as she desperately tried to get air into her lungs.

_Mama, I'm sorry. I couldn't protect you..._

That's when the pupil in her one remaining good eye faded away and that eye emitted a green glow. That same glow soon washed over the surface of her skin and turned into a full blown aura.

Craig's eyes went wide. "What the fu..."

That's all he was able to get out before Lauren's defensive instincts took over her magical control, and her magic was unleashed through the palms of her hands. Her step-father was immediately encased in the glow himself as he was thrown across the room by the force of the magical release. He slammed into the brick fireplace and slumped to the floor, unmoving.

Lauren collapsed to the floor as well, desperately coughing and gasping in lungful after lungful of air. Then she slowly sat up, wincing with each movement. The gash on her forehead was leaving a trail of blood going down her face, and they could see her left eye's condition was getting worse as it swelled and darkened. The girl didn't seem to be concerned about her injuries, however. She was too busy looking at her hands in complete and utter shock. Then she shook something off as her head lifted and saw Craig still lying on the floor.

"Craig?" she asked hesitantly, her voice incredibly hoarse, immediately going into a coughing fit and holding her rapidly darkening throat. "Craig?"

When he gave no response, the girl slowly climbed to her feet, wincing with each movement, and then slowly made her way over to him, limping and wincing with each step.

"Craig...?" Her voice trailed off as they saw her one good eye go wide and her face turned alarmingly pale.

The image showed the man now lying face down on the floor, the back of his skull crushed and indented into his brain matter. The graphic sight was evidently too much for the girl to handle, as well as the knowledge that she, herself, had taken a life.

The girl promptly went over to the potted plant and threw up before slowly wedging herself between the plant and the wall, her eye now wide and haunted.

_I... killed him. I KILLED him! He killed Mom and was going to kill me, but I... I didn't want to KILL him! I don't even know HOW I killed him! What... what the fuck WAS that?_

Her eyes stared blankly at Craig's corpse, and then her eyes trailed to the kitchen doorway where her mother's body was clearly visible.

_They... they're both dead... Oh no... what's going to happen to me? I'm not an adult yet! Grandma Johnson can't take care of me, and Mom never mentioned ANYONE! I'm alone... They're going to put me in an orphanage..._

She could only sit there stunned, as she looked from her mother to her step-father, the full scope of the situation apparently putting the young woman into shock.

Suddenly there was a series of loud knocks at the door, followed by a vaguely familiar voice.

"This is the NYPD! Open up!"

Lauren didn't even give any indication that she'd heard anything. She was just blankly staring ahead. There was brief muffled conversation outside the door and then someone tried opening it. The voice came again, barely audible. "That's not locked, there's something blocking the door. Just stand back, partner."

Seconds later, the door fell half off its hinges and broke on the edge of the shelf that was currently blocking it. Matt Bluestone knocked the shelf over flat on its back end as he stumbled into the room and immediately drew his gun. Elisa Maza was right behind him, her own weapon ready.

They immediately spotted Craig on the floor and quickly raced to him. Elisa winced, seeing the condition of his skull.

"Well, cause of death is obviously blunt force trauma... but now the question is who killed him?"

Matt looked around and then stood up, looking into the kitchen. He quickly went in there. "Elisa! There's another one in here!" He quickly knelt by the woman and put two fingers at her throat. Then he sighed and shook his head at his approaching partner. "She's dead. It looks like someone beat the crap out of her..."

Elisa frowned. "Yeah, but _who?_ Who killed her and the guy in the living room?"

Matt shook his head again. "I don't know." He reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a flashlight. "I'm going to check if there's anything upstairs." He turned the light on and entered the living room again, panning his light to take in the damage. Then he blinked when the beam of light fell on a tiny foot and raggedy pant leg. He shone it up a little more, revealing a young woman who was covered in injuries, curled up between a potted plant and the wall, her one good eye staring blankly at the deceased man.

"Elisa!"

Maza entered the room and gasped, seeing the bloody gash on her forehead and already swollen eye. "Matt, go radio this in while I try talking to her."

He nodded and quickly left.

The detective got down on one knee, lowering herself to the girl's level, trying not to intimidate her. Elisa wasn't one hundred percent sure about what was going on exactly, but she _did_ know that this girl had just been through a terribly traumatizing event, and was in shock.

"Hey there," she started off gently. "My name is Elisa Maza and I'm a detective with the NYPD. We got a phone call from one of your neighbours who heard something happening in here. Now, I know you were just through something absolutely horrible, and so it's not going to be easy for you, but we need to find out what happened."

The girl didn't even give any indication that she had heard a word the woman had said.

Elisa frowned as she considered the girl in front of her. She almost reached forward to touch her to get her attention, but mentally shook her head. _Take it slow, Maza. Give her a few more minutes before you do something that might make the situation worse._

"Would you like some ice for your eye?"

Again, the girl didn't respond.

"Can you tell me who did this to you?" she tried again.

As before, the girl didn't respond.

The detective sighed. She regarded the girl for a few long minutes before her partner returned and she got to her feet once more.

"She hasn't said a word. She's in total shock."

He sighed. "Well, Captain Chavez said she's going to send Morgan down here with a doctor and the medical examiner from the CSI team. She said Morgan will have further instructions."

Maza sighed and nodded. "All right. I guess we'll just keep working on coaxing the girl out of her corner until they get here."

Matt nodded back. "Okay, and I guess that means it's my turn." He turned to the girl and took a few steps toward her before dropping down to one knee as Elisa had done earlier. "Hi. I'm Detective Matt Bluestone, and you've already met my partner," he started gently. "Can you tell us what happened here?"

Again, she didn't respond, but kept her attention locked on the man's corpse.

"There's a doctor on his way, and he's going to have a look at you when he gets here. Do you want something for your head or eye before he shows up?"

No response.

He sighed and got to his feet. "This could take a while," he said to Elisa. "Some victims of traumatic events go weeks or months without speaking. This could be a long investigation..."

Lauren suddenly blinked and her mind hazily processed that the police officers were there, and that they had been talking to her. Her mind tried to go over what they had said to her, and then her mouth opened and the words just came out.

"I didn't mean to kill him."

Maza and Bluestone immediately crouched down once again, having heard her voice.

The woman's face was curious. "You... killed him?" she asked, her voice gentle.

She nodded numbly, and then her expression strained and tears started spilling from her good eye. "He had me by the throat against the wall... I couldn't breathe... He was going to kill me like he did Mom. I don't even know how I..." Her voice cracked and she went into a coughing fit, the detectives only now seeing the handprint-shaped bruises around the girl's throat.

The female detective quickly put comforting hands on the younger woman's shoulders. "Easy, it's okay. Just take it slow, and start from the beginning. But first... if you could tell us who you and... they are... we would appreciate it."

She nodded a little numbly. "My name is Lauren. The man is my step-father, Craig Johnson, and the woman is my mother, Elaine."

Bluestone had a pad and pencil in hand as he quickly jotted this information down. "Is there anyone else living here?"

She simply shook her head.

Elisa looked at her. "And... can you tell us what happened?" she asked, keeping her voice low and non-forceful.

Lauren slowly started telling them what had happened from the time she had gotten home from school up until he had her around the throat, when she faltered in her narrative.

_How the hell am I supposed to tell them that I shot a green light out of my hands and made him go flying across the room and into the fireplace? That's asking to be thrown into either a nuthouse or a lab!_

Lauren shook her head after pausing in her narrative. "I don't know... I just sort of blacked out. I don't know _how_ I killed him, but when I came out of it, he was..." she shrugged helplessly and indicated the dead man.

"Was this ongoing or a one-time occurrence?" Elisa asked.

The girl sighed. "We lived like that as far back as I can remember," she said quietly.

Matt opened his mouth to say something, when a quick knock came from the door and Morgan entered the home, stepping over the shelf, a man carrying a medical kit right behind him. They were followed by Roger Lanchester, the precincts medical examiner.

Morgan briefly whispered in Roger's ear and the man nodded and stood to the side, as the doctor approached the two detectives and the girl who was still crouched in the corner. Maza and Bluestone stepped aside.

The doctor gave her a gentle smile as he opened his kit. "Hello, sweetheart. I'm Dr. Ben Argyle. Now, let's give you a quick check up. Aside from the obvious, is there anywhere that you hurt?"

She hesitated for a moment before saying: "My hip."

He nodded. "Okay, I'll check that in a separate room with Miss Maza's presence, of course. But first..." He took out a wipe and started washing the blood off the girls face. He examined the injury, shone a light in her good eye, and nodded to himself. He then examined the injured eye before closing his med kit.

"You have a mild concussion but you'll need stitches, and thankfully, your eye is not as badly damaged as it looks. Just don't go to sleep for a while and you should be fine. And now... is there a room where I can examine your hip? I'll stitch that cut on your forehead while I'm at it."

She hesitated again. "The bathroom? The bedrooms are upstairs, so..."

He nodded. "The bathroom will do for now. So, can you walk?"

Lauren nodded and, accepting the doctor's and Elisa's help, she managed to get to her feet, giving a noticeable wince as she did so. Then she limped to a doorway in the corner of the living room, doctor and detective giving her support.

As soon as they were in the room, the medical examiner approached the body of Craig Johnson. Looking at the corpse, he raised an eyebrow. "I don't think an in depth examination is in need to determine how _he_ died..." He entered the kitchen next and shook his head as he saw the woman's condition. He gently poked and prodded until he carefully felt the back of her neck and winced openly. "Her neck was broken."

Matt nodded. "I figured. Lauren told us she saw Craig slam her neck against the counter, but of course, we needed confirmation." Then he turned to Morgan. "The Captain told us you'd have more orders?"

He nodded. "She wants us to bring the survivor down to the station, provided, of course, that she doesn't need a hospital. Once she's out, the CSI and removal service will be given the clear to take care of the rest. It looks like an open and shut case to me, though."

Matt nodded grimly. "Once we're there, I guess we'll contact other family and tell them what happened."

The bathroom door opened and they came out once more. "It's a cracked hip," Elisa said.

Her partner nodded. "Okay, so let's get her back to the station. When we're there we'll get her some crutches to make things easier on her."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Shortly after being brought to the police station and being given a fresh change of clothes from one of the sympathetic officers, she met Captain Chavez. Lauren winced openly when they asked her about relatives they could contact.

She fidgeted uneasily. "Craig's mom lives in Colorado, in an old folks home. She's got Alzheimer's, though, and didn't even know who he was the last time we visited a few years ago. I don't know of anybody else for Craig. And Mom never mentioned having any family to me, so I have no idea."

The Captain thought hard for a moment, and then called Maza, Bluestone, and Morgan to join her in the hallway, out of earshot of the girl.

"This is obviously an open and shut case of domestic violence, so CSI shouldn't take long gathering evidence. Maza, Morgan. I want you to go back to the house and search the place. See if you can't find a Will or something somewhere. Bluestone, while they're doing that, I want you to stay here with Lauren."

The former FBI agent rose an eyebrow now. "I'm not questioning your orders or anything, Captain, but, why _me?_"

She looked at him pointedly. "Because you have enough conspiracy theories to keep her distracted until we finish the investigation. Just keep her occupied. You all have your orders, now go."

Nodding, Matt Bluestone entered the coffee room once again, while Elisa and Morgan headed for the exit.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Surprisingly, the mirror was not focused on Lauren for the next scene, but on the two detectives who were currently searching the home. They were in the master bedroom, Morgan going through drawers, while Elisa was searching the closet.

"_Aha!_ Fire safe!" Elisa announced, relief evident in her voice. She pulled it off the shelf in to top of the closet and placed it on the floor. She gave a relieved sigh. "Good, it's not locked." Morgan quickly joined her as she opened the safe and went through its contents.

"Let's see... insurance papers, baby shoes, a lock of hair... Here it is! Last Will and Testament." Maza opened the envelope and examined the paper. "Okay, 'In the event of our deaths, my daughter, Lauren Johnson, is to be placed in the care of my elder brother..." Her eyes bugged out of her head. "_David Xanatos?_"

Morgan's eyes went wide as well. "_What?_ Are you serious?"

"That's what it says, right here in black and white! _Xanatos_ is Lauren's uncle!"

The beat cop let out a whistle. "And to think, she went all these years without having any idea... It looks like her life is about to improve for the better." He got to his feet. "Well, let's get down to the station and give them the news."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

From there, the image turned to Lauren's life with the Xanatos', showing snippets of Lauren experiencing comfort, protection... happiness. They saw her immediate affection for Alexander, her appreciation for her uncle's generosity as he showered her with gifts, more than likely feeling awful for having not looked up his sister himself. They saw Fox stepping up to try and welcome and encourage the girl, comforting her and caring for her every night.

They saw her interactions with Owen as well, seeing her obvious amusement at his stiff posture and impeccable mannerisms and speech. The way even _he_ had showed her kindness, understanding and encouragement, and the girl's obvious appreciation.

They watched her meet and befriend Goliath's clan, slowly developing a means of socializing herself. They watched as she was kidnapped by the Pack, and subsequently used her abilities to help in her escape, the young woman displaying a level of strategy that actually took them by surprise. They watched as Lauren learned of her uncle's past activities and schemes, and saw how easily she forgave him.

Then came the Quarrymen and the revelation of her abilities, and Puck's obvious concern for the girl and her control. They watched her learn of her fey heritage, of her father's existence and her immediate fear of being taken from her newfound happiness.

Then they saw her interactions with Puck as he taught her, cared for her, and gently coaxed her into facing her feelings about her past, giving her the chance to grieve fully for her loss. It had been obvious that Lauren had developed a great appreciation and obvious affection toward the banished fey, and, of course, Puck had made it pretty obvious that he was most _definitely_ interested in her. And from what they could see, the woman was happy to reciprocate those feelings.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The mirror then stopped showing images, indicating that the next significant event was when Oberon had come to bring her to Avalon. Coyote looked up at his Lord and saw his expression was almost unreadable. Then, the fey king turned and walked off.

"Where are you going, husband?" Titania asked, curious in spite of herself.

He paused and glanced back. "I must go somewhere alone and think things through. These new revelations have given me much to think on." He left without another word.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Once again, Lauren woke up feeling someone holding her hand. When her eyes opened, sure enough, there was Coyote sitting at her bedside. She was almost afraid to speak, not knowing what news he might have for her. But then his eyes fell on her and he blinked when he saw she was awake.

He gave her a gentle smile. "Well, good morning. How are you feeling?"

She hesitated. "Better than before... um... I don't know if I want to know but..."

He shook his head, his smile disappearing as he sighed. "Lauren... The first thing you should know is that most of us saw it. Oberon used his mirror to view the significant events in your lives since he last new your mother and..." He shook his head again, his expression turning deeply sympathetic. "It was like a bad train wreck. You almost couldn't stand to watch, and yet you couldn't tear your eyes away. I mean, I _knew_ you'd had it bad, but..." he could only trail off helplessly.

"How did... Oberon take it?" she asked hesitantly.

He pursed his lips. "About that... I think, Lauren, that you have accomplished something not seen before in the history of Avalon."

She blinked. "And what's that?"

He offered her a small smile. "You made Oberon feel _guilty._ And I'll tell you, if that Craig asshole was still alive, he wouldn't be for long. I've never seen Oberon _that_ angry at any mortal before in my life. Once the show was over, he went off on his own to think the matter though. For the first time, I think you might actually stand a chance of going back to New York."

She sighed. "I'm trying not to be too optimistic. Hoping for the best... bracing myself for the worst." Then she looked at him. "How long was I sleeping, anyway?"

"You were out for about twelve hours. You've still got twelve to go before you're allowed to get out of bed, so don't get any ideas. And Oberon has made it clear that as long as you are awake, you are _not_ to be left alone until he has come to his decision."

She rolled her eyes. "Why would I try killing myself _before_ knowing his decision?"

He shrugged. "I guess you just scared him that badly when you made your initial attempt. And, by the way," He gave her a serious look and locked her gaze with his own. "If you _ever_ try something that stupid again, I'm seriously going to have to knock some sense into your skull. No matter how terrible any situation seems, taking your own life is _never_ the way to handle the problem. I should have listened to my instincts when you told me you wanted to be on your own, and watched you like a hawk."

Then, Lauren was a little surprised when he gently sat her up and pulled her in close.

"I was protective of you before, but... after seeing everything for myself..." He sighed and shook his head. "I like you a lot, Lauren. Maybe... maybe more than I _should._ And a part of me just wants to shelter you from any and all harm for the remainder of your life. And before you get concerned about it, I'm not going to get between you and Puck. We saw how you two interacted as well, and it's obvious that you both feel for one another greatly. We never saw you smile as much as when you were with him." He pulled back and gave her a platonic kiss on the lips before gently laying her down once more. Her hand was once again firmly in his. "No matter what decision Oberon comes to, I'm going to be there for you, whether he lets you go back, or not. And if he _doesn't_ let you go back, I'll fucking _handcuff_ you to me so you don't get any more crazy ideas."

Her expression strained slightly. "Coyote..."

He shook his head and tightened his hold on her hand. "Shhh. That's enough talk for now, Lauren. You still need your rest. I just pretty much came by to sit with you for a while and give you the update, but..."

Suddenly the door opened and Raven strolled into the room. "Hey, cousin. Lord Oberon wants to talk to us about something." Then he looked down at the girl on the bed. "And as for _you..._ You will _never_ hear me say something like this about a lady again, but you've got a serious set of brass balls to pull a stunt like _you_ did." Then he considered. "Come to think of it, for some reason I can't put my finger on, that makes you even _hotter_ than I thought..."

Coyote smacked him upside the head, an annoyed expression on his face. "Raven, try not being an idiot for five minutes, okay?" Then he looked down at the girl. "Well, as per Oberon's rule, you're going nighty-night again. You're either asleep or have someone with you. We'll see you later, Lauren." He put his fingers at the girls temple and lulled her to sleep. Then he glanced at Raven. "Okay, let's go see what Lord Oberon would like."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Lauren woke up on her own, and slowly opened her eyes.

When she saw Oberon sitting at her bedside, she immediately fought back her nervousness and fear at what his judgement was going to be. His eyes were focused on the wall right now, his features set in a deep contemplative frown.

She hesitated before taking in a deep breath and opening her mouth.

"Oberon?"

His eyes were on her instantly. "Lauren..." Then, to the shock of the teenager, Oberon sat her up, and held her tight against him. The girl was stunned as he held her, and made no moves to return the gesture. If he cared, Oberon didn't show it.

"I know it means nothing now, daughter, but... I am sorry," he said softly. "At the time... I was merely focused upon my own self gratification, and did not consider the possible consequences of my actions. I have caused you _and_ your mother unspeakable horrors through my lack of foresight." He then pulled away and looked at her. "And that is why, provided you agree to one condition, I shall grant you permission to return to New York."

Lauren almost became downright elated until she realized her father had said "one condition" and immediately worried. "A... condition?"

He nodded. "Yes. Only if you agree to this one condition will I allow you to return. If not, you will remain here, under constant supervision. And this is _not_ open to debate."

Bracing herself for the worst, the girl mustered up her courage. "And... what is the condition?"

Oberon held out his hand, revealing a tiny ring with a simple white gem upon it. "You must wear this ring, and _never_ remove it. You are a woman of your word, Lauren, and I want you to _promise_ that you will keep it on at all times, no matter what activity you are engaged in, including bathing and sleeping. Only if you agree to this, daughter, will I allow you to return."

Lauren let out a massive sigh of relief and, for the first time, gave her father a small smile. "And here I thought it was going to be some huge, terrible thing." She accepted the ring and slipped it on the index finger of her left hand. "I promise you that I won't take it off for any reason. What is the ring for, anyway?"

Her father looked at her for a long moment, and then simply said: "I sincerely hope, Lauren, that you never have to find out." Then he changed the subject. "Grandmother examined you before you awakened, and informed me that you are now fully recovered. Now, come... you can say your goodbye's, and I will return you to the mortal world." He held his hand out toward her and she was in a fresh change of clothes, and her bag was packed and at her side instantly. Then, he seemed to hesitate for a moment, before speaking once more. "I know, daughter, that I have no right to ask anything of you but... I have a request as well."

She blinked hearing this. "And what's that?"

"I would like it very much... if you and I could visit your mother before I bring you home."

Lauren's brain had to go over the sentence a few times before she was sure she had heard right. Then, tears formed in her eyes as she threw her arms around Oberon, taking the Fey King by surprise. His arms slowly went around her once again, holding her close.

"I'd like that," she said quietly.

He nodded and pulled back, giving his daughter a smile of his own. "Now, let's go to the others so you can say your goodbye's."

Nodding back, she got to her feet and allowed Oberon to lead her out of the room.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The moment they entered the hall, Oberon stood at Titania's side as he watched his daughter charge toward Coyote, happily throwing her arms around him. He listened as she excitedly told the trickster she was returning home, his own feelings on the matter mixed.

Titania looked to him. "Are you sure this is wise, husband?"

He shook his head. "I know it's not. But if I don't let her go... she will hate me forever. I can only hope that the ring will be protection enough."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Coyote seemed amused at Lauren's enthusiasm, while Raven had an expression that could only be described as a pout.

"What's wrong, Raven?" she asked curiously.

He sighed. "You were here for ten days, and I never got to steal even a single kiss from you. I can't help but feel cheated."

She rolled her eyes. "I've been here for _eight _days, not ten."

Coyote smirked at her. "Nope. It's been a little over ten days. After you pulled your stunt, you were out cold for two straight days. You would've been up sooner if you hadn't developed an infection."

Lauren paused, hearing this, and then she shrugged. "Well, what's two more days?" Then she regarded Raven. "And as for _you..._" Unexpectedly, she pulled him down and gave him a quick platonic kiss on the lips. "That's all you're getting and you're _only_ getting it because I'm in such a _great_ mood. Now don't ask me again."

He grinned at her now. "Your lips touched mine, so I'm satisfied... for now." Then he grabbed her and pulled her in for a hug. "Keep yourself out of trouble... if such a thing is even _possible_ for you..."

She held him back for a moment before pulling back. "You know... when I first met you, I thought you were a prick... but you're not too bad."

He frowned slightly. "Is that your idea of a compliment?"

To their surprise, Lauren let out a little giggle. "Take it however you want."

She went turned back to Coyote and gave him one last long hug. His arms were tight around her tiny form. "You tell that lucky little bastard that he'd better take good care of you... because if he doesn't I'll kill him!"

"Thank you for everything, Coyote. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't been here."

He pulled back, giving her a kiss on the forehead before giving her his signature smirk. "Anytime. Like Raven said, keep yourself out of trouble."

She nodded, leaning forward to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Maybe later on, I could make arrangements for us to hang out... hopefully out in the _mortal_ world so I don't lose days out of my life..."

"I guess we'll see. We'd have to hash that out with Oberon, though." He smiled at her. "Good bye, Lauren."

She nodded. "Goodbye Raven and Coyote. I'll see you guys around."

Upon seeing their nods, she gave quick goodbye's to Grandmother, Banshee and Odin, and then approached Oberon and Titania. She gave her mother-in-law a small bow. "Titania, it was an honour to meet you. Thank you for everything."

The Queen of Avalon smiled at the young woman. "Come... give your mother-in-law a hug, and stop being so formal." She pulled the Halfling woman close. Her mouth was next to her ear and she whispered. "Be careful, Lauren, and above all, listen to your instincts." Then she pulled back and gave her a smirk. "Keep Puck in line. While his manners have improved over the centuries, he may still have some... less than admirable qualities."

Lauren nodded, her patented smile in place.

Oberon looked down at her. "Are you ready to return, daughter?"

The girl nodded and went to stand beside him, when another voice rang out.

"Wait, Princess," said a feminine voice as the Weird Sisters stepped forward.

"_A warning must be issued here,"(Phoebe)_

"_For you do have much to fear." (Selene)_

"_With hair so fair and icy eyes," (Luna)_

_(Together)_

"_With heart so cold, no mercy lies,_

_Should he meet you, he will bring_

_You untold pain and suffering._

_One who's heart is filled with greed,_

_No cries for mercy will he heed._

_Beware this one, heed our call,_

_Or else, fair Lauren, you shall fall."_

Lauren watched wide eyed as the sisters finished their narrative with a low bow toward her, and they vanished in a flash of light. She couldn't help but let out a shiver.

"Can't those three just say 'see ya later' like _normal_ people? That was easily the single most ominous goodbye I've ever heard..."

Especially when she remembered MacBeth's warning before she'd come here in the first place.

Well, it was something she would puzzle over later. Maybe she'd see if Puck had any ideas of what their warning might mean... but between the ring, Titania's whispered words, and now the warning issued by the Weird Sisters... Lauren couldn't help but be just a little concerned.

Oberon looked down on her once more. "Are you prepared now, daughter?"

Shaking off her contemplations, she nodded. Oberon placed his hand on her shoulder, and the two of them vanished.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The next thing Lauren knew, she was standing in the cemetery. She looked around a moment, and realized they were directly in front of her mother's grave, and looking at it now, she was stunned.

"The dirt settled and the grass grew over it... How much time passed since I was brought to Avalon?"

She looked up at Oberon and almost didn't recognize him, as he had taken on a human form. Oh, he still looked very much like himself, except his skin was as pale as her own, he was dressed in normal human clothing, and there was no way to distinguish him from any other human. He also had ditched the pony-tail, and had his hair short and slicked back.

"You were gone for a little over eight months," he said simply, before looking down at taking in her expression. "You did not think I would wander the mortal realm in my true form, did you?"

She couldn't help but give a tiny smile. "I guess not."

Oberon turned his attention to the tombstone in front of them. He glanced over at the grave next to hers and couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction that nobody had bothered to replace the destroyed grave marker. He placed his hand on Elaine's marker. His hand briefly emitted a low green glow before flowers of numerous descriptions blossomed on the woman's grave.

"I know it means nothing to you now, Elaine, but I am sorry," he said softly before returning to his daughter's side. He seated himself on the ground, gently urging his daughter into his lap as he held her up against him. The two of them stared at the grave for a few long moments before he started speaking once more. "I remember the day I met your mother."

"You do?"

He nodded, although she didn't see it. "At the time, I was in the form you see now, and my assumed name was Lucas Crawford. We, quite literally, bumped into one another as she was on her way to watch a play being performed by a local charity group. She had been working to promote the cause and was carrying various forms and donation slips. I assisted her in picking up the mess and we began to talk. It wasn't long before she invited me to join her. We enjoyed the play, had a wonderful dinner and evening walk... and then she invited me into her home." He considered. "She... intrigued me. She was refined in her mannerisms and speech and yet... her humour was beautifully subtle. A very kind, and generous young woman."

Lauren sighed a little. "Well... You knew her better than I did, then."

He shook his head now. "I see many of those same qualities within _you,_ Lauren. And I am both amazed and proud... knowing you turned out as you did, even with the circumstances forced upon you."

There was a long moment of silence, father and daughter enjoying a nice late spring day in the quiet solitude of the graveyard. The girl realized, suddenly, that she felt content where she was, and she couldn't help but feel that little smile tugging at the corner of her own lips.

"You know... I think you and I are having our first ever father-daughter moment."

She felt him tighten his hold on her slightly. "I hope, Lauren, that there will be more to come in the future." A moment later, he released her, and the two of them got back to their feet. "Now... let's get you home. I am sure everyone is eager to see you again."

Lauren gave one last look at the tombstone and nodded. Oberon's hand fell on her shoulder once again, and a moment later, the cemetery was empty.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Lauren felt an immense relief when she saw she was now in the castle courtyard. The sun was shining brightly up above, the gargoyles roosting on the parapets of the castle. From what she could see, everything was exactly as she remembered it.

Then her eyes widened when she heard two familiar voices approaching, and a huge smile split her face.

"Did Mather's get back to us on the status of that project?"

"Yes. It should be completed by the deadline, although he stated he is having some difficulty with..."

"_Oberon!_" Her uncle sounded _far _from happy, and Lauren peeked around her father, before stepping fully into view.

Her uncle looked very much surprised to see her, but Owen... the normally stoic Owen Burnett was standing there, his eyes wide with disbelief, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

Lauren gave the two of them a little wave. "Hi. I'm back."

Owen's entire body seemed to shudder slightly. "M... Mr. Xanatos...?

"Permission granted," he said, his voice stunned.

Owen vanished instantly and a _very _elated Puck was now in his place. _"LAUREN!_" He flew forward, throwing his arms around her and swinging her around like an excited child, saying her name repeatedly as he flew about the courtyard before finally settling down and holding her close. "I don't believe it! How in the _world_ did you convince Oberon to let you come _back?"_

She paused at that one. "Er... That's... not important. I'm back... and I'm not going anywhere."

He nodded in agreement. "You're damned right you're not!" In the next instant, Puck was dressed as a police officer and had her handcuffed to him. "Now, where you go, I go! It's just that simple!"

Lauren couldn't help but smile at this. She held up her cuffed hand. "Puck... you'd better have a key for these..."

He paused and started patting himself. "Hmm... I _know_ I have a set _somewhere..._"

"Puck," Xanatos said, stepping forward now. "Don't forget, there's a few more people who'd like to welcome her back."

Looking surprisingly ashamed, the trickster nodded and returned to his normal clothes, the handcuffs vanishing as well. "Of course. Sorry, Mr. X."

Lauren walked up to her uncle, pulling the locket out. "I believe this is yours."

The CEO accepted the locket, and then wordlessly pulled the girl into a tight hug. "I missed you. I think I had given up on you coming back..."

"Lauren!" came a newly arrived Fox's voice. The boy she was carrying in her arms immediately struggled, indicating he wanted down in his excitement. Fox set him down and Xanatos stepped back just in time to witness his son make an attempted tackle.

"Auntie Lauwen!"

The girl took a few steps back from the initial impact, before scooping the boy up in her arms and holding him close. "Alex! Oh, you sweet, loveable little man! I missed you! Didn't auntie tell you she'd be back?"

He nodded excitedly as she gave him a kiss on the cheek and set him down before finding Fox holding her.

After watching this all silently, Oberon cleared his throat. "I shall return to Avalon now."

Lauren jerked slightly and quickly pulled away from Fox. "Oberon, wait!" She quickly approached him and let out a sigh. "Listen. I said some pretty hateful things to you on Avalon, and..."

"You were well within your right to do so, Lauren. I hold no resentment toward you for your words."

She smirked. _I guess his habit of cutting people off isn't going to go away overnight..._ "Be that is it may... I really_ do_ want to get to know my father. It's just... you've seriously got to rethink your tactics. Maybe... sometime you could spend some time with me here in the mortal world, rather than on Avalon so I don't lose days out of my life?"

Oberon blinked and gave her a small smile. "I... would enjoy that. Perhaps... we can make those arrangements in the future."

She nodded. "Sounds good. We can work on your parenting skills while we're at it." Standing up on her tip-toes, she gave him a peck on the cheek. "Goodbye, Oberon. I'll see you around sometime."

He gave her a single nod in return, and then vanished from sight.

Lauren then ran back to the others, and found herself half squashed by an enthusiastic group hug.

She had finally come home.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**I'll be nice... no cliffy this time. Just a nice happy ending to the chapter. I'm not entirely sure one when the next one's going to be coming out. Hopefully it will done by this time next month, but my schooling's getting more involved now (was four days a week, but will soon be upped to five) and so I'm not going to have as much time as I did. But I'll try!**

**In the meantime, tell me what you think! Review please!**


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